Have delays in house allocations prompted Boma Yangu savers to withdraw more than Ksh2.7 billion?

By Faith Lagat 

A post published on X on July 21, 2026, by the account Business Feed (@BusinessNews254) claimed that Boma Yangu savers had withdrawn more than KSh2.7 billion from the KSh5.4 billion accumulated under the Affordable Housing Programme. 

In a follow-up post, the account further claimed that the withdrawals were driven by delays in house allocations and growing concerns among members over the progress and delivery of housing projects.

Business Feed is a Nairobi-based X account focused on real-time local and global business news. Its bio highlights updates on Kenya’s economy, markets, startups, and policy, with a global scope. It mainly posts concise reports on topics like county finances, diaspora remittances, banking, regulations, and investment climate in Kenya.

Background

The Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) is one of the flagship initiatives under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, established to help bridge this housing gap. The programme targets three income categories: Social Housing for households earning up to KSh20,000 per month; Affordable Housing for those earning between KSh20,000 and KSh149,000 per month; and Affordable Market Housing for individuals earning above KSh150,000 per month.

The programme is anchored in the Affordable Housing Act, No. 2 of 2024, which gives effect to Article 43(1)(b) of the Constitution guaranteeing every person the right to accessible and adequate housing. The Act established the Affordable Housing Fund, financed through the Affordable Housing Levy, National Assembly appropriations, grants, voluntary contributions, investment income and approved loans. The Fund finances the development of affordable housing and related infrastructure while supporting home ownership through affordable financing mechanisms.

Section 52 of the Act provides for voluntary savings, allowing prospective homeowners to save towards the minimum deposit generally five per cent of the purchase price of a housing unit. Savers who have not been allocated a unit may withdraw their savings, together with accrued interest, after giving ninety days’ written notice.

Boma Yangu is the official digital platform through which Kenyans register for the programme, select preferred housing projects and make voluntary savings toward home ownership. The platform is integrated with eCitizen for identity verification and has registered approximately 1.26 million users by mid-2026.

Official figures show that cumulative voluntary savings on Boma Yangu increased from KSh2.47 billion in May 2025 to approximately KSh5.47 billion by the end of June 2026. About 30 per cent of registered users are actively saving at any given time. During the same period, the government reported that nearly 300,000 affordable housing units were under construction nationwide and projected the completion of about 45,000 units by the end of 2026, with another 15,000 expected during the first half of 2027.

Demand for affordable housing units has consistently exceeded supply. At the Mukuru Affordable Housing Project in Nairobi, for example, approximately 24,000 applicants sought about 13,000 available units. 

Verification

Piga Firimbi reviewed the original X posts by @BusinessNews254, media reports citing the KSh2.56–2.7 billion figure, relevant provisions of the Affordable Housing Act, 2024, and the clarification issued by Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Charles Hinga on July 22, 2026.

The first step was to verify the reported amount. The figure of more than Ksh2.7 billion closely corresponds to approximately Ksh2.56 billion recorded as “refunds” on the Boma Yangu platform as of June 30, 2026. The figure appears in official government records.

The second step examined what those recorded refunds actually represented. According to Hinga, approximately KSh1.76 billion, more than two-thirds of the amount, did not leave the Affordable Housing Programme. Instead, the money was transferred from Boma Yangu savings accounts into formal deposits for housing units that had already been allocated, including approximately Ksh1.6 billion for the Park Road project and Ksh139 million for projects outside Park Road. Only Ksh803 million represented actual cash refunds paid to savers who chose to withdraw from the programme.

The third step assessed the overall performance of the platform during the same period. Official figures show cumulative savings more than doubled from Ksh2.47 billion in May 2025 to KSh5.47 billion by June 2026, while registered users increased from approximately 1.02 million to 1.26 million. New contributions continued to exceed actual cash withdrawals, resulting in continued growth in net savings.

The fourth step evaluated whether delays in house allocations were responsible for the reported withdrawals. It is true that demand for affordable housing currently exceeds the number of completed units, leading to waiting periods for some applicants. However, the available evidence does not support the assertion that delays accounted for the entire KsSh2.56–2.7 billion reported as refunds. Hinga stated that the actual cash withdrawals of KSh803 million were largely driven by personal financial needs, such as paying school fees, and by panic withdrawals following political statements suggesting the Affordable Housing Programme or Housing Levy could be abolished. Meanwhile, the larger share of the recorded refunds represented savings converted into deposits by successful applicants purchasing homes.

The final step examined whether the programme continued to operate despite the reported refunds. Government data indicate that construction remains ongoing, with about 45,000 housing units expected to be completed by the end of 2026 and a further 15,000 during the first half of 2027. The Affordable Housing Act also allows voluntary savers to withdraw their funds after giving ninety days’ notice if they have not been allocated a unit, meaning withdrawals form part of the programme’s legal framework.

Verdict

The claim that delays in house allocations prompted Boma Yangu savers to withdraw more than Ksh2.7 billion is MISLEADING.