New one-stop counters at Huduma Centres to guide Kenyans through the full home ownership process under the government’s affordable housing programme
Huduma Kenya and the Affordable Housing Board have formalised a partnership that will bring dedicated housing advisory services to Huduma Centres across the country, offering citizens a single, accessible point of contact for navigating the government’s Affordable Housing Programme.
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The collaboration, sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two state agencies, follows recognition that a significant number of Kenyans who are interested in owning a home under the scheme have struggled to understand the process — from initial registration to final unit allocation.
What the New Service Desks Will Offer
Under the arrangement, clearly branded Affordable Housing Board information desks will be established at every Huduma Centre in the country. Trained personnel will be on hand to walk applicants through each stage of the home acquisition journey.
The end-to-end support will cover registration on the Boma Yangu digital platform, the submission of a formal housing application, guidance on payment structures — including the required five percent initial deposit and subsequent instalment plans — and the eventual allocation of residential units once eligibility criteria are met.
AHB Acting Chief Executive Officer Joseph Kagicha, speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, said the initiative is designed to remove the confusion that has kept many eligible Kenyans from pursuing homeownership through the programme.
“We have realised that the majority of Kenyans have the idea but they don’t know exactly the process to follow to get these houses,” Kagicha said. “Our staff will be equipped to ensure every Kenyan can access the information they need to make informed decisions about home ownership.”
He added that the physical presence of AHB personnel at Huduma Centres will also ensure that citizens receive accurate, up-to-date information on available housing units across different locations, rather than relying on informal or secondhand sources.
Huduma Kenya Sees Strategic Fit
Huduma Kenya Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Kai Chilumo welcomed the partnership, describing it as a natural extension of what Huduma Centres already do — consolidating multiple government services under one roof to reduce the burden on citizens navigating public agencies.
“The introduction of AHB desks responds directly to the growing demand for clear, reliable information on affordable housing opportunities,” Kai said, noting that the centres are well positioned to close the information and accessibility gap that has slowed uptake of the housing programme.
The move positions Huduma Centres not just as transaction points for administrative services such as identification documents and certificates, but as active gateways to the government’s flagship social infrastructure agenda.
Programme Progress So Far
The rollout of the joint service desks comes as the government continues to scale up construction activity under the Affordable Housing Programme, which forms a central pillar of President William Ruto’s administration’s development agenda. The programme prioritises slum upgrading and youth employment generation through the construction value chain.
To date, more than 271,000 residential units are in various stages of development nationwide. Of these, approximately 191,823 units are under active construction, while 8,367 units have been reported as fully completed and ready for occupation.
Recent activity has extended the programme’s reach beyond major urban centres. During a visit to Migori County, President Ruto broke ground for the 60-unit Mabera project, underscoring the administration’s intention to distribute affordable housing benefits across constituencies rather than concentrating development in Nairobi and other large cities.
Bridging the Gap Between Policy and People
The establishment of AHB desks within Huduma Centres reflects a broader acknowledgment by the government that the success of large-scale social programmes depends not only on construction targets but on public understanding and access. Even well-funded housing initiatives can fall short if eligible beneficiaries cannot navigate the administrative pathway to securing a unit.
By embedding housing guidance within an already trusted and widely used public service network, the partnership aims to significantly increase the number of Kenyans who move from awareness to active participation in the programme.
