Counties, National Government Urged To Resolve Housing Bottlenecks

By Suleiman Mbatiah

County governments have been urged to fast-track planning approvals and resolve land documentation disputes holding back the implementation of Kenya’s affordable housing program, with Council of Governors committee chairperson Susan Kihika calling for clear deadlines and accountability measures.

The implementation gap between delivering housing units and ensuring beneficiaries obtain legally recognized ownership documents emerged as a key concern during an intergovernmental sector forum on affordable housing held at Sawela Lodges in Naivasha earlier today.

The Nakuru Governor, who chairs the Council of Governors’ Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said the program’s success should be measured not only by completed buildings but also by whether beneficiaries receive the documentation required to establish legal ownership.

“Delivering a completed housing unit is an important milestone, but it does not, by itself, conclude the entire housing delivery process,” she said.

Beneficiaries need the necessary documentation to protect their investments and enjoy the security associated with recognized ownership, according to the address.

The committee chairperson identified land administration, surveying, cadastral records and registration as areas requiring coordinated intervention by the National Government and county governments. Outstanding issues in these processes could prevent beneficiaries from obtaining sectional titles or other appropriate ownership documents.

The call comes as the government scales up its housing program. In August, Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga said more than 280,000 housing units were under construction nationwide, with contracts valued at approximately Sh731.5 billion. A further Sh300 billion in contracts was awaiting approval, potentially pushing the total value of housing contracts under construction beyond Sh1 trillion. The government was targeting completion of 45,000 units by December 2026.

Hinga also said the program had generated between 640,000 and one million direct and indirect jobs, reflecting its wider economic impact through construction, manufacturing, transport and related services.

Against this backdrop, the Naivasha forum was urged to develop a coordinated mechanism involving county governments, the Affordable Housing Board, the National Land Commission and relevant land registration and surveying institutions to resolve outstanding documentation challenges.

“A clear record of pending cases, responsible institutions, outstanding requirements and agreed resolution dates will enable us to monitor progress and hold the relevant actors accountable,” Kihika stated.

The proposed mechanism would cover verification of land ownership, confirmation of survey and cadastral records, completion of outstanding approvals, preparation of sectional plans and processing of registration applications.

County departments were also urged to improve coordination when handling statutory consents, development applications and planning approvals to prevent unnecessary delays in project implementation. Relevant departments should communicate requirements clearly, establish realistic processing timelines and eliminate avoidable administrative bottlenecks.

The forum was intended to assess implementation progress, identify institutional and operational constraints and agree on practical measures to address them.

The address emphasized that cooperation between the two levels of government must respect their respective constitutional and statutory mandates, without compromising planning standards, environmental considerations or public accountability.

Under the framework outlined, the National Government provides policy direction, program coordination and the applicable financing and implementation arrangements. County governments handle functions including county planning, land-use planning, development control, relevant approvals and local infrastructure.

“We must therefore abandon the perception that affordable housing is the responsibility of a single institution or level of government,” the governor said.

Successful implementation, she added, requires clearly defined responsibilities, transparent decision-making, timely communication and accountability for commitments made by participating institutions.

A county-by-county inventory of affordable housing projects was among the proposed measures. It would detail each project’s implementation status, approved milestones, infrastructure requirements and outstanding actions required from county governments.

The inventory would help identify persistent delays and establish which institutions need to intervene to keep projects on schedule. The proposal also calls for responsible officers to be designated for each identified bottleneck, supported by clear reporting obligations, accountability arrangements and deadlines for resolving priority issues.

Challenges exceeding the authority or statutory mandate of individual departments would be escalated through established intergovernmental mechanisms.

“General expressions of commitment, however well intentioned, will not resolve the administrative and technical challenges before us,” the CoG departmental boss stated.

The proposed framework would include periodic progress reviews, performance indicators and documented follow-up actions, with the Council of Governors coordinating oversight through the committee.

The program extends beyond construction, with implications for employment creation, economic growth, urban transformation and household livelihoods. The address called for its performance to be assessed through affordability, access to infrastructure, employment opportunities and the long-term sustainability of the resulting communities, rather than housing numbers alone.

County executive committee members, chief officers, directors, technical officers and committee chairpersons attending the forum were urged to translate governors’ commitments into departmental work plans, administrative decisions, implementation schedules and measurable performance indicators.

“Policy commitments must produce demonstrable results at the county level,” Kihika stated.

She emphasized on moving from general intergovernmental commitments to measurable implementation outcomes, particularly in resolving land and registration challenges that could affect beneficiaries’ legal ownership of affordable homes.