Construction excites the sleepy Engineer town in Nyandarua
Central
By
Boniface Gikandi
| Sep 23, 2025
The construction of the Affordable Housing Programme in Engineer town in Nyandarua county has reawakened the sleepy agricultural locality to vibrancy.
The project was designed to transform the locality through the establishment of 120 housing units on 2.5 acres of land, and has given the town a new lease of life, after decades of a lack of vibrancy, with the locals travelling to Naivasha.
Completion of the housing project is expected to bring an additional 500 people to the town that had a population of 17,850, according to the 2019 population census.
Solomon Makimie, an investor in Naivasha, says he acquired three plots within the town immediately the government-backed housing programme started.
“Engineer market stands in a strategic position and once the occupiers are set in, investment will shift as hundreds of people will be in need of services and entertainment,” said Makimie.
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The project is being implemented by Frejed Engineering Services.
Kariuki Wakahora, a local farmer, says the introduction of the project was God sent as the locality had been marginalised in terms of development, with the projects diverted to Nyahururu, Naivasha, and Ol Kalau.
“The farmers will have ready customers for their produce, ending the transport to Naivasha town,” said Wakahora.
Susan Njoroge says the majority of the youth involved in the construction works have rented rooms in the residential neighbourhoods near the town centre.
She said the local youth had been engaged in farming, but they had been introduced to building and construction technology for the future.
“Commencement of the government-backed houses led to an influx of investors scouting for land to establish their businesses. In the coming three years, Engineer will be a new setup,” said Mrs Njoroge.
She adds that the price of land within the town has been raised to above Sh2 million, up from Sh1.2 million, owing to the demand.
The project’s clerk of works, Joseph Waithaka, the construction attracted hundreds and remains the largest in the locality, employing youths.
“Youth working in the project were at first transported from Naivasha, but soon the locals joined in and recruited,” he said.
He added that it was a pleasure that 22 youth were issued certificates by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) after they excelled in their examination, adding that some of the youth in the site were drunkards and khat chewers, and who have changed.
The project was initiated on November 15, 2023, presently at 65 percent complete and expected to be completed at the end of the year.
Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga said the existence of the affordable housing programme has updated the status of many towns like Engineer that had lacked meaningful development.
”AHP projects have a major impact in the locality, as the government has invested in building modern markets, schools, among other social amenities, designed to improve the living standards of the locals,” said Mr Hinga
He appreciated the certification of 1,213 unskilled workers in all the Affordable Housing Programme by NITA, ushering them to new levels in the building sector.