Kimathi residents want “Right to Buy Kanjo houses” and help government reduce housing deficit.
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| Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina flanked by Kimathi Estate residents while switching on the estate street lights on Tuesday night. |
While addressing
their grievances to Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina on Tuesday night as he was
commissioning the street lighting programme in the area, the tenants appealed
to the devolved unit to sell off these council houses to them through a tenant-purchase
scheme that was favourable to them.
Joseph Mwaura Gitimu
explained about the genesis of this particular endeavour that dates back more
than 15 years during the defunct Thika Municipal Council. He says that in all
these attempts, they have officially applied for the purchases and also held
meetings with the heads of consecutive administrations with the latest one being
with the current governor Ferdinand Waititu.
(Related story: Kiambu to build 7,000 housing units to replace old JAMOFASTA houses.)
Gitimu, who has been a resident of Kimathi Estate for over 20 years says that their first attempt was thwarted by certain councilors who considered them politically unfriendly to the systems and used their minutes to extend a “Sale Order” to Kamenu tenants who eventually bought the then council houses.
Gitimu, who has been a resident of Kimathi Estate for over 20 years says that their first attempt was thwarted by certain councilors who considered them politically unfriendly to the systems and used their minutes to extend a “Sale Order” to Kamenu tenants who eventually bought the then council houses.
“We have been
applying to buy these houses since the era of the defunct Thika Municipal
Council but in vain. Our first attempt was denied on political grounds and our
minutes used to extend the same to Kamenu tenants where some of these councilors
lived,” he said.
“We are now
appealing to our MP to help us acquire allotment letters and subsequent building
plans in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Affordable Housing Programme
under the BIG 4 Agenda,” he added.
His sentiments were
echoed by Fidelis Wambui Ndirangu who reckoned that Kimathi residents could be
the quick link to affordable houses for the residents of Thika.
She thanked the area
MP for the street lighting programme saying that it was a big step in the fight
against crime.
(See also: MP launches constituency street lighting, home electrification programme.)
“We have been living in darkness for more than 10 years now since the previous lights stalled. We are happy that lighting will enhance security which has been an issue in this estate,” said Wambui.
“We have been living in darkness for more than 10 years now since the previous lights stalled. We are happy that lighting will enhance security which has been an issue in this estate,” said Wambui.
Responding to their
grievances, the MP promised to walk their journey by lobbying the necessary
assistance whenever he was called upon.
He challenged the
residents to take advantage of the street lighting and home electrification programmes
to promote a 24-hour economy as well as creating more jobs for the youth.
He promised to light
up all the estates and villages in the entire constituency, calling for
patience from all those who were yet to benefit.
“We are rolling out
this programme to all the corners of Thika Town Constituency and I therefore
call for those who are yet to be connected to be patient. This is a personal
initiative under the Private-Public Partnership Programme aimed at making Thika
more secure and ease business,” explained the MP.
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