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Kenya: CJ Koome Joins Initiative to Build Houses for Poor Families in Machakos

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4 years ago

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Machakos — Ten poor and vulnerable families in Machakos County will, in coming months, get decent shelter when an ongoing project to build houses for them is complete.

Among supporters of the Habitat for Humanity Kenya Leader’s Build, is Chief Justice Martha Koome, who on Tuesday launched construction of a house, which she is financing fully with members of her family.

The house is among 40 the organisation is building for poor families across Kenya.

“Habitat for Humanity should be lauded for this milestone, which resonates with the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and the Social Transformation Through Access (STAJ) Vision that is being pursued by the Judiciary,” CJ Koome said at the event.

Habitat for Humanity (HFH Kenya), a non-profit organisation that begun its operations in Kenya in 1982, is constructing 40 houses across Kenya in the counties of Machakos, Laikipia, Homa Bay and Tana River.

CJ Koome’s involvement with the Leader’s Build initiative dates back to the 1990s when she joined a project to build houses for poor families in Chuka, Meru. She has since participated in similar build’s as far as Cambodia together with her husband Koome Kiragu.

Kiragu became a member of the HFH Kenya Board of Directors in April 2000 and served as the Board Chairman between 2017 to 2020 when he retired.

According to a 2019 survey by The World Bank, Kenya has an annual housing demand of 250,000 units with an estimated supply of 50,000 units translating to a deficit of 80 per cent.

Only two per cent of the formally constructed houses target low-income earners, the survey shows.

“The Chief Justice has led by example, putting a smile on a vulnerable family with a decent house. We can all do in our small ways, by buying a nail, iron sheets and ultimately building a full house,” said Frank Ireri, Board Chairman Habitat for Humanity Kenya.

The board members of the organisation have pooled resources to build a house for one beneficiary in Machakos County.

The vulnerable families earn below Sh200 daily as a household with no known source of stable income.

“If the government and other players within the housing sector could adopt the low cost models, subsidise the cost of construction materials by reducing the tax, coupled with community based solutions we could even build more houses,” said Ruth Odera, HFH Kenya’s National Director during the event.