New York, USA – President William Ruto has urged world leaders to scale up financing and partnerships to address the global housing crisis, insisting that adequate housing is not just shelter but a matter of dignity, opportunity, and human rights.
Speaking on Tuesday during the High-Level Roundtable of the Global Champions on Adequate and Affordable Housing on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA), Ruto said Kenya was committed to making decent homes accessible to all citizens.
“Adequate housing is the foundation for families to thrive, for children to grow in safety, and for human dignity to be upheld,” he said.
The Head of State outlined four urgent priorities: embedding housing in national development strategies, mobilizing predictable financing, forging global coalitions for action, and aligning with UN resolutions on transforming informal settlements.
Ruto highlighted Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme, noting that nearly 170,000 units are under construction, creating over 320,000 jobs. “This number will double to 650,000 in the weeks ahead as the programme scales,” he said.
He cited policy interventions such as the Affordable Housing Act of 2024, the establishment of the Affordable Housing Fund, tax incentives, and the use of public land to reduce construction costs. Through the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company, concessional mortgages have also been extended to low- and middle-income families.
Despite progress, Ruto acknowledged that financing gaps remain daunting across Africa. “Without adequate and predictable financing, affordable housing will remain out of reach,” he warned, urging multilateral institutions, governments, and the private sector to collaborate.
The President proposed the launch of a “Champions’ Initiative for Adequate Housing,” a platform for leadership, advocacy, financing, and accountability. “Our success will not be measured by pledges we make, but by the communities we uplift, the roofs we raise, and the dignity we restore,” he concluded.
