Residents of Mukuru kwa Reuben in Nairobi took to the streets on Friday to protest against how houses are being given out under the government’s Affordable Housing Programme.
The angry residents said they paid deposits for the housing units but were shocked when they received text messages saying the units were sold out. They are now demanding answers on how houses could be declared fully taken after they had already paid money.
One woman said she paid Ksh80,000 for a bedsitter but never got anything. She added that the message did not say who bought the houses or what they were supposed to do next.
Some residents said they had received confirmation messages after paying their deposits, which made them believe they had secured the homes. Others said they borrowed money to raise the payments and are now left with debts while they continue to wait for houses they may never get. They feel cheated and want the government to explain why their applications were ignored.
The protest came after President William Ruto handed over 1,080 housing units at Mukuru in May 2025. The larger New Mukuru Estate is planned to have 13,248 homes built in phases. However, residents say the allocation process lacks transparency and does not favour the people who have lived in the area for many years.
The affected residents are now calling for full transparency. They want to know what happened to their applications and their money. They are asking the government to explain how the units were allocated and why they were left out despite having proof of payment. They have vowed to continue protesting until their concerns are heard and addressed by the relevant authorities.