County employees to own affordable houses through Tenant Purchase Agreement

Mombasa, Wednesday, April 19, 2023,

K.N.A By Sadik Hassan

Negotiations are ongoing between the County Government of Mombasa and GulfCap Real Estate – the developer of Buxton Point, Affordable Housing for county staff, to own houses in Phase Two of the project through a Tenant Purchase Agreement. 

The project consisting of 2,000 housing and commercial units, is being done through a partnership between GulfCap Real Estate and the County Government of Mombasa.

GulfCap Real Estate is also developing the Sh13B Starehe Point, Affordable Housing project in Nairobi, through a partnership with the National Government. At least 6,000 units made up of one, two and three-bedroom houses are under construction.

Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, said staff who have reached the mandatory retirement age, will also benefit in order to accord them an opportunity of having decent homes, that will be paid for through their pensions.

The county staff will be deducted monthly from their salaries; an amount to be determined will go towards the purchase of the houses, so that by the time they reach retirement age they will own the houses.

The Governor spoke during a tree planting event at Buxton,  that also marked the beginning of handing over 584 completed Phase One Units.

The Governor revealed that in conjunction with the developer, they are coming up with a programme that will require the support of the National Government for non-salaried residents to also realize their dream of an affordable and quality house.

The East African Legislative Assembly Member of Parliament (MP) and Chairman of GulfCAP Real Estate, Suleiman Shahbal, urged buyers of the apartments at Buxton to create green spaces for their children to play safely by planting trees.      

Shahbal said albeit the project at the beginning was marred with opposition, court cases and summons to the Senate that threatened to derail it, he is now proud that Phase One is near completion and more than 3,000 jobs were created while 30 companies supplied building materials.

“This is the first Affordable Housing Project that we started after other developers had started and we have finished before all of them. Mombasa should be proud and I am very happy and proud that this project has been built by the youth of Mombasa,’’ said Shahbal.

Admittedly, Shahbal said mortgage payment may be out of reach for many who would like to own the houses, but together with the Governor, they are seeking an intervention from the President, to enable many people to buy the houses.

Former Mombasa Mayor, Ahmed Mohadhar, said with the support of the President, many low-income dwellers will have an opportunity.

Courtesy K.N.A