The biggest public housing development in Northern Kenya is taking shape in Garissa Town, with the construction of the Garissa Public Works Affordable Housing Project.
The flagship initiative of President William Ruto under the national housing agenda is aimed at expanding access to decent and affordable homes.
The project, located in Garissa Township Constituency, will deliver 1,032 housing units across 13 residential blocks, offering a mix of social, affordable and market-rate homes.
Planners at the Boma Yangu Garissa Public Works Estate have opted for a broad mix of unit types to reflect the varied realities of urban life
The development includes studio apartments, one-room, two-room and three-room units, alongside more spacious two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes, allowing the estate to accommodate single occupants, small households and larger families within the same neighbourhood.
The range of layouts is intended to support mixed-income living, improve affordability, and ensure access to decent housing for all in Garissa.
Designed as a fully integrated neighbourhood, the development goes beyond housing to include a broad range of social and economic amenities.
It includes a kindergarten, a clubhouse with a swimming pool, retail shops, children’s playgrounds, and landscaped green spaces. Other essential infrastructure includes internal roads, sewer systems, and an underground water tank.
Security and services have also been prioritised, with provisions for a guard house, power house, garbage receptacles, parking spaces, and a chain-link perimeter fence.
The project features are expected to support safe, functional and sustainable urban living.
Boma Yangu says the project aligns with the government’s broader Affordable Housing Programme, which seeks to address the housing deficit. It will also reduce reliance on informal settlements and stimulate local economic growth through construction and related industries.
Once completed, the Garissa Public Works Affordable Housing Project is expected to ease housing pressure in the fast-growing town.
It will also create employment opportunities during and after construction, and set a benchmark for inclusive, well-planned urban development in northern Kenya.
