Sh6bn Buxton housing project gets greenlight from President

President Uhuru Kenyatta is scheduled to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sh6 billion Buxton Project in Mombasa County on May 1.

This is after Housing and Urban Development PS Charles Hinga and Head of Presidential Delivery Unit Andrew Wakahiu inspected the project, terming it the largest affordable housing project in the country.

The two officials were accompanied by businessman Suleiman Shahbal, the project developer.

Through his Facebook page, Mr Shahbal said the President is set to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony of the project.

Mr Hinga and Mr Wakahiu said Buxton is one of the many projects under the Public Private Partnership aimed at improving living standards of residents and boosting the economy of the region.

 According to Mr Shahbal, the project will see 750 jobs created directly and about 3,000 others indirectly. “The project will be a game changer in the county as it will provide job opportunities to our youth,” he said.

The visit by the government officials came days after the Environment and Land Court in Mombasa dismissed an application by residents who were seeking orders to restrain the county government from demolishing houses in the estate.

This was after the county government forced more than 500 residents out of the houses after an earlier case was also dismissed by the court.

After the first ruling was delivered two weeks ago, the county demolished some of the houses.

The following day, the affected residents received cheques of Sh240, 000 each as relocation allowance.

In his ruling last Tuesday, Justice Sila Munyao said the residents cannot pocket the cheques and go to court to seek injunction or status quo orders.

“That is akin to speaking from both sides of the mouth.”