Daniel Macharia Gehanya was just like any other Nairobi dweller whose dream of owning a home, a place where his family could thrive free from rent, remained that, just a dream.
However, the artisan specializing in welding fabrication along Ngong Road now narrates a different story. Today, he stands as a proud homeowner in Park Road Estate, a beneficiary of the Affordable Housing Programme.
“My name is Daniel Macharia Gehanya. I’m an artisan. I do welding fabrication along Ngong Road, and I’m a homeowner here at Park Road. I live here with my family,” Daniel states.
Before he acquired his new home, life in his old home in Dagoretti Corner’s Wanyee area was tough. He lived in a modest two-room rental, struggling with limited space and unreliable water supply. The idea of ever owning a home in Nairobi felt like a distant dream.
“It was a bit challenging because the house was a bit small. It was a two-room house. So for me, it was an uplift—because from a two-room house now to a three-bedroom house, it’s a big step up.”
Daniel’s journey to homeownership began when he transitioned from employment to running his own welding workshop. Through his involvement with the Ngong Road Furniture and Metrocluster Association, Daniel learned about the government’s Affordable Housing Programme.
His association, together with other artisan groups from Kariobangi and Kamukunji, contributed to the Park Road project—the first pilot in the housing initiative.
“How I got involved in affordable housing is because I belong to Ngong Road Furniture and Metrocluster Association. Then we joined with other associations, which is Kariobangi and Kamukunji. We delivered the Park Road project, which was a pilot project of affordable housing. And thereafter, 45 of the artisans benefited from the houses. Some of them live above me, others below me. So we are a good community here,” he explains.
For Daniel, homeownership became a reality through the Tenant Purchase Scheme (TPS), a rent-to-own model that allows Kenyans to pay for their homes in installments while living in them. What made the deal even sweeter was that his new home’s payment was nearly equivalent to the rent he had been paying before.
“If I look at the rent that I pay here, it’s a rent-to-own, that is TPS, rent-to-own. Because the same amount that I used to pay for rental is the same amount that I’m paying to this government program for me to own a house after 25 years.”
According to Daniel, the new home also offers better living conditions for his family, unlike his previous rental, which had water shortages and limited space.
“Where I used to live, we had challenges to do with water and of course, the space was a bit squeezed. So it was a bit challenging. But here, the encouragement we have is that the amount of money we are paying is also contributing toward owning the house. So it’s a good deal.”
Daniel sees the initiative as an empowering opportunity for ordinary Kenyans to achieve homeownership without needing special connections or hefty upfront payments.
“The system is based on a first-come, first-served kind of basis. Because these houses they belong to Kenyans. So long as you are 18 years old and you have an ID, it’s your right to own a house under the Affordable Housing Programme.”
When the government launched the initiative, it was meant to address a housing deficit, and provide low- and middle-income earners with access to quality homes at affordable prices.
Some of the key housing projects under the program include Park Road in Ngara, Pangani, Mukuru, Mavoko, and Shauri Moyo, among others. The houses come in different sizes and price categories, including one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units.
To register for the program, Kenyans are required to sign up by dialling *832# or on the Boma Yangu portal (www.bomayangu.go.ke), an online platform where applicants create accounts, provide personal details, and contribute towards their preferred housing units.
The program operates on a Tenant Purchase Scheme (TPS) and cash purchase basis, allowing participants to make payments over 25 years or pay upfront.
Payment Plans:
One-bedroom units: Prices start from approximately KSh 1 million, with monthly installments as low as KSh 2,500 under TPS.
Two-bedroom units: Prices range from KSh 2-3 million, with affordable monthly installment options.
Three-bedroom units: Depending on location, these can cost between KSh 3-5 million, with flexible payment structures.
By Newsmedia