In December 2019, the dusty plains of Lukenya played host to an elaborate ceremony. President Uhuru Kenyatta, flanked by United Nations dignitaries and private developers, launched Habitat Heights — an ambitious housing development promising 8,888 modern units. It was to be the first step in building 100,000 affordable homes under the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Sustainable Infrastructure Investments and Innovation (S3i) initiative.

The $647 million (Sh83.6 billion) project was touted as a model public-private partnership, a milestone in Kenya’s affordable housing drive.