KISUMU, Kenya – Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga has urged Kenyans to disregard what he described as political misinformation surrounding the government’s Affordable Housing Programme and take advantage of opportunities to own homes.
Speaking during the launch of Phase Two of Kisumu’s Non-Motorised Transport Project alongside Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, Hinga said affordable housing units purchased through the programme are protected by the Constitution and cannot be repossessed by a future government.
He dismissed claims that homeowners risk losing their houses following a change in government, describing such assertions as misleading.
“Some leaders are misleading Kenyans not to buy affordable houses, claiming they will be taken away after a change of government. That is false. The Constitution protects every Kenyan’s right to own property, and homeownership is a constitutional right, not a government favour,” Hinga said.
The Principal Secretary maintained that the Affordable Housing Programme is intended to benefit Kenyans across all income levels, noting that prospective homeowners earning below Sh20,000 are not required to pay a deposit for identified housing units.
Hinga also revealed that he is currently defending more than 85 court cases related to the government’s housing programme.
“I am defending more than 85 court cases, most of them filed by a sitting senator, not because we have stolen money, but because we are building houses for the poor,” he said.
Without naming the legislator, Hinga criticised leaders who oppose the programme while benefiting from taxpayer-funded housing schemes.
“A senator, who enjoys a mortgage paid for by the people of Kenya at 3pc fixed for 20 years, is misleading Kenyans not to buy affordable houses. Are they children of a lesser God? We need to stop this sense of entitlement,” he added.
Hinga argued that opposition to the programme undermines efforts to expand homeownership and realise the constitutional right to adequate housing.
He further linked the Affordable Housing Programme to Kenya’s rapid urbanisation, noting that about 800,000 young people join the labour market annually while a significant proportion of urban residents continue to live in informal settlements.
According to the Housing PS, the government remains committed to increasing access to decent and affordable housing as part of broader efforts to improve living standards, reduce the growth of informal settlements and expand homeownership opportunities for Kenyans.