2009 Speeches
Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Michael Ranneberger Hacienda Housing Project Mombasa
September 10, 2009
The US Government is very pleased to endorse this major housing development initiative being undertaken by private Kenyan and US investors. We are also pleased that this initiative is being actively encouraged by and is receiving the support of the Kenyan Government, in particular through the Civil Servants Housing Scheme. I would like to congratulate President Kibaki, Prime Minister Odinga, and Minister of Housing Soita Shitanda for their leadership in enabling this innovative project to assist Kenya’s civil servants to purchase homes for their families. This is an excellent example of a public-private partnership in a sector of critical importance to the country. It demonstrates the commitment of the Coalition Government to support the development of affordable housing for Kenyans, a key element in the Government’s housing sector development strategy.
When completed, the Hacienda Development Holdings project will serve as a model for the construction of new urban developments. The project will house about 40,000 people, creating over 5,000 new jobs. The community will include all the services its new residents will require, including commercial centers for shopping, schools, recreation and sports facilities, entertainment, as well as hospitals and clinics. The Hacienda development will offer a fully secure environment with all infrastructure services provided, including its own water supply, power from renewable sources (wind and solar), estate maintenance, and excellent infrastructure. The provision of a fully constructed police station will go a long way to enhance efforts to promote community policing, and sets a good precedent for future housing developments.
The development will also be environmentally friendly. Over time, Hacienda plans to be fully self-sufficient in water and power, and trees and shrubs will be planted throughout the development by a not-for-profit partner of Hacienda, the Africa Conservation Trust, contributing to its description as a true “eco-city,” the first in Africa.
The Hacienda housing development will provide many other spin-off benefits to the Kenyan economy. When in full swing, it will directly employ over 2,000 Kenyans in the construction of this new city; indirect and final employment could be four to five times this number. Upon completion, between six and seven thousand families will have the security of home ownership in a safe, ecologically friendly and attractive community conveniently located near the heart of Mombasa.
The US Government strongly endorses this major public-private initiative and hopes it will be but the first of a series of such developments to address the housing needs of Kenya’s growing population. We applaud the efforts of the Coalition Government in forging an innovative solution enabling private US and Kenyan investors to invest in affordable, decent housing that begins to address Kenya’s pressing need for 150,000 new homes each year.