Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga has announced plans to build modern hostels for public universities.
Addressing the media at Kisii University, the PS announced that the move will be in line with the government’s plan to upgrade housing conditions for Kenyans.
The PS announced that Kisii University will be among the first beneficiaries of the project with the groundbreaking slated to take place in January 2024.
According to the PS, most university students have been living in deplorable conditions, a situation he noted was not conducive for learning.
As such, he vowed to upgrade accommodation facilities in the institutions to give learners the ideal environment to study.
“Some of you live in slums and those are not conducive for Education,’ PS Hinga noted.
“This is part of bringing to your dignity as a student and ensuring that you focus if what you came to do at the university and that is to learn.
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Hostels to have state of the art amenities
The hostels, according to Hinga, Will have enabling amenities including internet and proper dining facilities.
In addition, Hinga noted that the hostels will be designed to ensure safety and security of students. The project will later be expanded to include several other institutions in Kenya.
“There will be proper dining facilities and areas for Kenyans to socialize,” he added.
Hinga had toured Kisii University alongside Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and other senior government officials.
His announcement about plans to upgrade hostel facilities came against the backdrop of cases of insecurity within school premises.
In October, for instance, university students at Pwani University staged protests over rising insecurity within the school.
At the time, a first-year female student was reportedly killed while on her way back to her hostel, painting a picture on the level of insecurity in some institutions in Kenya.
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PS Hinga leads efforts to provide decent housing
Kenya Kwanza government under the stewardship of President William Ruto has championed the need to roll out affordable decent housing for all since rising to power.
Besides the university hostels program, the government has promised to deliver at least 250,000 units annually in a bid to suffice the deficit of houses required to ensure all Kenyans have access to decent housing.
The government has so far launched affordable housing projects in several counties.
In an earlier statement in August, PS Hinga announced that housing projects had taken off in 178 sub counties and that plans were in place to ensure that all sub-counties benefit from the project.
