President William Ruto has reiterated his administration’s commitment to expanding Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme during high‑level engagements at the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Ruto made the remarks after meeting Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN‑Habitat), on the sidelines of the global summit on sustainable urban development.
In a statement shared via his official X account on Sunday, May 17, 2026, Ruto said Kenya and UN‑Habitat had reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting resilient cities, sustainable growth, and access to affordable housing.
“Met United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN‑Habitat) Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach on the sidelines of the World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to advancing global action on sustainable urban development and affordable housing,” Ruto stated.
He added that Kenya would continue working closely with UN‑Habitat to promote people‑centred urban planning and improve living standards for citizens.
Ruto also highlighted his role as Global Champion for Adequate Housing, saying Kenya remains committed to supporting international efforts aimed at improving access to decent shelter. “In my capacity as Global Champion for Adequate Housing, I pledged Kenya’s continued partnership with UN‑Habitat in advancing resilient, sustainable, and people‑centred cities,” he said.
ALSO READ:
Marube warns against rushed reforms in cooperatives, calls for more public participation
The President defended the Affordable Housing Programme, insisting it remains a central pillar of his administration’s development agenda. “Kenya will continue to advance the Affordable Housing Programme to ensure every citizen, regardless of background, has access to decent and dignified shelter,” he said.
The initiative has been one of the flagship projects of the Kenya Kwanza administration, designed to increase home ownership while creating jobs in the construction sector. Supporters have praised it as a transformative economic programme, but critics have raised concerns over the controversial housing levy, affordability, and the pace of implementation.
Opposition leaders and sections of the public have questioned whether low‑income earners will genuinely benefit from the projects. However, the government maintains that the programme is already generating employment opportunities and helping address Kenya’s growing housing deficit.
By Masaki Enock
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
