Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has paid tribute to the late Frank Ireri, crediting him as one of the intellectual architects behind Kenya’s affordable housing programme. Speaking during Ireri’s funeral service at Karura Community Chapel in Nairobi, Uhuru lamented that many of the individuals who laid the foundation for the initiative have not received due recognition.
“A lot of what we hear today, people talking about affordable housing — people don’t recognise the legwork people like Frank did,” Uhuru said.
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Ireri, who passed away on October 26 while undergoing treatment for cancer at Nairobi Hospital, was 63. As the former Housing Finance Group (HF Group) chief executive, he was instrumental in transforming Kenya’s mortgage landscape, pioneering products that enabled low- and middle-income earners to access home ownership.
Beyond his tenure at HF Group, Ireri also chaired the Habitat for Humanity Kenya board, where he championed housing solutions for marginalised communities. His dedication to the sector extended to his role as a non-executive director at Centum Real Estate, underscoring his lifelong passion for sustainable housing development.
Uhuru noted that Ireri’s expertise and innovation played a key role in shaping housing finance policies that underpin Kenya’s current affordable housing framework — one of the flagship pillars of the government’s development agenda.
“Frank’s work may not have always been in the limelight, but his impact will be felt for generations,” Uhuru added.
Ireri’s legacy continues to influence Kenya’s real estate and housing finance sectors, serving as a reminder of the importance of visionary leadership in tackling the country’s housing challenges.
