Kenya can now start construction of the 7,000 houses in Starehe. This is after the High court approved the construction and dismissed a case filed by civil servants who were apprehensive of missing out on the houses once complete.
Approximately 330 civil servants staying in Starehe moved to court in 2014 and obtained orders blocking the Ministry of Lands and Housing from ejecting them from their houses in Starehe and Shauri Moyo estates to set up the houses. The group wanted the government to give them alternative houses before their current dwellings are demolished.
Also Read: Kenya commences construction of 500,000 housing units
However, Justice John Mativo recently lifted the orders and dismissed the case saying that the government was under no legal obligation to equip them with alternative accommodation.
Allocation of the new houses
They claimed that the government had failed to involve them in the construction plans and there was no indication that they would be allocated the new houses. It was also their contention that the ministry had failed to come up with an environmental impact assessment report, among other requirements, before the houses are put up.
This approval comes at a time when the Kenyan government is looking into the Big 4 agenda which key pillars are affordable housing, manufacturing, universal healthcare and food security.
Recently, The National Housing Corporation (NHC) commenced the construction of 500,000 new housing units in Kenya in a bid to deliver decent and affordable housing. Also, the housing corporation just completed the construction of 222 new housing units in the Nairobi.
