MPs Push For 80% Of Housing Jobs To Go To Locals

Members of the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works have called on the State Department for Housing and contractors to give at least 80 percent of construction work in housing projects to local communities.

The lawmakers said this would empower residents and create more employment opportunities at project sites.

Speaking during an inspection of the Chesinendet ESP Market project in Kipkelion East, the Committee urged the contractor not to sideline locals when allocating both skilled and unskilled jobs.

“As a Committee, we shall push the State Department to ensure that 60 percent of the work is given to local residents and that not more than 20 percent of skilled jobs are given to outsiders,” Committee Chairperson Johana Ng’eno said.

The intervention follows complaints from residents who claimed they were only offered casual jobs, while skilled opportunities were outsourced. The project contractor defended the move, saying there were no skilled laborers in the area, forcing them to bring in workers from outside.

The Committee also inspected the Kericho Housing Project by the National Housing Corporation (NHC) and the Talai Affordable Housing Project, where they engaged residents and visited squatters still living on the Kericho project site.

On the issue of land compensation, the legislators directed Kipkelion East MP Joseph Cherorot to hold talks with the County Government of Kericho and NHC to resolve the matter and help settle the affected families.

The Committee further toured the Emgwen Affordable Housing Project, where they observed strong interest from locals in owning homes. According to the Boma Yangu housing application platform, 927 people have already applied for the Emgwen houses.

The MPs said they are committed to inspecting all similar projects across the country to ensure public funds are properly utilized and that Kenyans benefit from quality, decent housing.