The Buxton Point affordable housing project in Mombasa has stalled due to a dispute between the Mombasa County Government and GulfCap, the developer. The county government halted construction works earlier in the week, citing alleged breaches of contractual agreements. The project, which aims to provide modern apartments to hundreds of homeowners, has been embroiled in controversy, with critics questioning the timing of the dispute less than a year before the 2027 General Election.
At the centre of the dispute are about 500 former Buxton Estate households seeking to return to their neighbourhood. In March 2021, the former tenants were evicted from dilapidated municipal houses to pave way for the construction of modern apartments. Each household was to receive Sh240,000 to facilitate relocation and secure alternative accommodation for 12 months. However, some former tenants say they are still struggling to secure homes in a development that was supposed to improve their living conditions.
The county government claims GulfCap has failed to honour an agreement entitling Mombasa County to 10 per cent of the housing units and commercial spaces within the development. The allocation would have enabled the county to resettle some of the former tenants. The county is also demanding the reconstruction and handover of an Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centre demolished during the redevelopment, as well as the provision of a community social centre.
GulfCap Real Estate Chief Executive Officer Chris Ochieng disputed the county's approach, accusing officials of introducing politics into a national housing project nearing completion. He warned that continued interference could jeopardise construction, hundreds of jobs and the expectations of about 492 homeowners scheduled to receive their units in December. Ochieng explained that the developer had sought approval for the scheme through the State Department for Housing and Urban Development.
The dispute has attracted the attention of the Senate's Roads, Transportation and Housing Committee, which examined complaints that residents had been excluded from the benefits of the redevelopment. In its 2023 report, the committee called on the county to allocate its share of 184 housing units to former tenants who had yet to secure homes. It also raised concerns about the original partnership arrangements and called for measures to protect displaced residents.
Mohammed Rubea, chairperson of the former Buxton Estate tenants, said residents accepted the relocation assistance after signing agreements with the developer, in anticipation of returning to the redeveloped estate. However, he claimed that none of the former tenants had received any allocation, despite waiting for years. Rubea's sentiments were echoed by Mohamed Hussein, Lands, Urban Planning and Housing County Executive Committee Member, who insisted that the county government must receive its share of the units as stipulated in the contractual agreements.
The Buxton Point development, comprising 584 housing units in Phase One, was completed and handed over to homeowners in September 2023. Phase Two is expected to be completed soon, but the dispute has cast uncertainty over the project's future. Key stakeholders, including the county government and the developer, will need to resolve their differences to ensure the project is completed and the affected residents are resettled.
Key points
- The dispute between the Mombasa County Government and GulfCap has stalled the Buxton Point affordable housing project, affecting hundreds of homeowners.
- The county government claims GulfCap has failed to honour an agreement entitling Mombasa County to 10 per cent of the housing units and commercial spaces within the development.
- The dispute has attracted the attention of the Senate's Roads, Transportation and Housing Committee, which has called for measures to protect displaced residents.
