Last week, the national government made a move that could drastically change the face of Lumumba Estate, one of the oldest council housing projects in Kisumu City.
In an advertisement posted by the Ministry of Lands, Public Works Housing and Urban Development, the government invited tenders for the construction of affordable housing units across the country, among them the Lumumba Housing Project.
A further communication was made on August 4, indicating that the County Government of Kisumu would partner with the State Department for Housing and Urban Development in the urban renewal initiative targeting dilapidated council housing in the lakeside city.
The first phase of the affordable housing project targeting 480 units will kick off this financial year. A three-month notice has already been issued to the tenants ahead of the relocation.
“This is to ... bring to your attention that we shall be calling for a meeting of all tenants to commence the relocation action plan and facilitation of the process. This letter also serves as a three-month notice for you to start looking for an alternative accommodation during the construction period,” said County Director of Housing Fredricks Onyango said in the letter.
Nostalgic residents are sorry to see the red-bricked, squat structures that were built by the colonial government in 1961 go, but they also feel its time has come.
Lumumba Residents Association Secretary John Odenyo told Nation he was not surprised but felt the structure of relocation should be looked at afresh.
“We have no objection to the project, but three months is too short a notice. When we meet, we shall be asking for more time,” said Mr Odenyo. For 65-year-old Wycliffe Buyeka, the reconstruction, though sad, is necessary.
“We have been here for years and we have fond memories of this place. All we ask for is for the government to ensure a smooth transition that will not leave the current tenants homeless,” said Mr Buyeka.
He told Nation that, for a very long time, tenants would pay a monthly rent of Sh2, 000 for the two-bedroomed houses until 2020 when it was increased to Sh4,000. The 100 units have a sitting room, two bedrooms, and a kitchen, but a bathroom and toilet are outside the houses.
Lumumba Estate, now joins Makasembo, Anderson Ofafa and Argwings Kodhek that have been brought down to pave way for affordable housing projects.
Recently, the county government launched a search for investors to help in the management of council houses to seal revenue collection loopholes.
Acting City Manager Abala Wanga, in an expression of interest published in the Daily Nation of December 14, 2022, called on consultancy bids for the management of the houses.
The consultancy was to include advisory on scoping, value retention and extraction, operational review of income-generating housing assets and investment management.
Council houses are being abandoned by the city’s burgeoning middle class for newer residential neighbourhoods that feature modern apartments with adequate parking and other perks like internet access.
Some houses at Lumumba estate in Kisumu.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Lolwe and Polyview are among the new residential areas that have emerged over the years which are slowly killing the council houses.
Polyview, once a grave site that no one would ever think of living in, is now teeming with swanky new apartment blocks.
Other estates are Translake, National Housing, Ogango, Elgon, Highrise, Ruby Courts, Grace Ogot, Barack Obama, Makuti on the Kisumu-Kakamega Road and Winam Square.
The new residential neighbourhoods have also elbowed out the once posh estates such as Milimani, Kenya Re, Robert Ouko, Okore, Mosque, Tom Mboya and Mountain View, which have lost their prestige.
The growth of new residential estates is also being witnessed in the outskirts of the city, including Riat, Kibos, Nyamasaria, Airport and Obambo.
