The Kenyan Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development has notified government agencies of plans to increase monthly rent on all government-owned residential housing by 10%, according to a letter sent last month by Principal Secretary Charles Hinga and obtained by Sharp Daily on Wednesday.
The proposed rent hike, slated to take effect November 1, would be the first since 2001 for most government housing units.
Hinga said in the September 28 letter to National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo that stagnant rents are limiting the Housing Ministry’s ability to raise its own revenues.
“It remains an avenue that can increase Appropriation In Aid for the State Department in line with the observations made in the meeting held on 22nd September 2023 with you on enhancing AIA for the State Department,” Hinga wrote.
The Housing Ministry first notified the Treasury and other agencies of plans to raise rents by 10% in January 2021, but it appears the initial proposal did not take effect. The new request seeks concurrence from Kiptoo to implement the hike next month.
The rent increase would apply to all government agencies provided with residential housing. The Housing Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how many units would be impacted or how much additional revenue the hike could generate.
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