Affordable Housing Workers Decry Delayed Pay

A side buy side photo of Affordable houses under construction and Affordable House worker/ Screengrab Citizen TV

Dozens of workers at the Affordable Housing Project in Shauri Moyo, Nairobi, have raised concerns over delayed wages and shortages of construction materials, saying the situation has made their work and livelihoods increasingly difficult.

The workers said they were promised weekly payments, but many had gone two weeks without pay, with some artisans receiving partial payments while others, including painters, said they had not been paid at all.

“We depend on daily work to survive,When wages delay, we can’t buy food or pay rent. Life becomes impossible for the ordinary Jua Kali artisan.”  said Musungi Nanyakha, a site worker.

Another worker, George Gitu, said frustration was growing among artisans, noting that repeated assurances had yielded no results.

“Since the start of the year, all we hear is ‘wait, the money hasn’t come,’” he said. “We have made windows that are already being installed in houses, but we have not been paid. Some artisans have stopped coming because they cannot afford transport to the site.”

Workers also complained of shortages of building materials, which they said had slowed down construction at the site.

Supervisors confirmed the shortage but maintained that the issue was temporary. Payment Supervisor Daniel Macharia said funds had already been released and assured workers that payments would be made by Friday, January 30, 2026.

“There is nothing wrong, we are in touch with the developer, materials are being sourced, and the payment delay is only for this week.”  Macharia said.

However, some site leaders said the delays were already taking a toll on their families. Peter Mwema, a site supervisor, said he was struggling to meet basic obligations.

“I have children in secondary school who have been sent home because I cannot pay school fees,” he said.

The Shauri Moyo project is part of President William Ruto’s Affordable Housing Programme, a flagship initiative under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

Labour unions have since urged the State Department for Housing to ensure timely payment of casual labourers, warning that persistent delays could disrupt progress on key housing projects.

The workers’ complaints come days after President Ruto defended the controversial housing levy deductions, insisting that the funds collected were being properly managed and used for their intended purpose.

By the time of publication, workers said they were still awaiting confirmation that payments would be made as promised.