Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has vowed to evict residents who purchase affordable housing units in Ong’ata Rongai, alleging that the land earmarked for the project was unlawfully acquired by the current government.
Speaking at a Sunday service at St Peter’s ACK Cathedral in Ong’ata Rongai, Gachagua claimed that the 152-acre plot being used for President William Ruto’s affordable housing initiative actually belongs to the church. He warned potential buyers that the housing units, marketed as affordable, are in fact commercial properties.
“Those houses that are being built are not affordable housing. They are commercial houses. We want to be kind to investors who want to buy those 2,000 houses in advance. Don’t waste your money,” Gachagua said, adding that once his party assumes power after the 2027 elections, the land would be returned to the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA).
He further stated, “If you bought the houses, you will incur losses because PCEA will take those houses and collect their rent.”
Gachagua also criticized the government’s focus on housing, arguing that the key issues affecting Ong’ata Rongai, Kiserian, and Ngong were water and sewerage challenges, not the construction of residential units. “I want to ask the government to listen to the people of Kiserian and Ngong. The challenge of the people of these areas is not houses. The challenge is water and sewerage,” he said.
The government’s affordable housing project in Gataka, near the Oloolaiser Water Plant, is part of the Boma Yangu initiative. The project, estimated at Ksh5.2 billion, will offer 2,000 units, including studios and one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. According to Don Kagicha, Regional Director of Nairobi Metropolitan, the government plans to prioritize social amenities, including schools, before the construction of housing units.
To support the project, authorities intend to construct three boreholes and install a sewer system to serve the new residential development, addressing the infrastructural needs of the area.
The debate over the Rongai housing project highlights the tension between government-led development initiatives and local land ownership claims, with Gachagua positioning himself as a defender of church property rights ahead of the 2027 general elections.
