The increasing house shortage in Kisii town is due to exponential growth of student population and general expansion of businesses.
The county’s housing CeC Eng. F.N Omwoyo said Wednesday that the mushrooming of institutions in the town was the major cause of the menace.
“The number of institutions is rising substantially hence the increased student population. This is why many are not finding rooms to stay in,” Omwoyo said.
According to him, the town has little space for expansion and the problem might persist due to poor planning of the town by the defunct municipal council.
“We have little space for expansion due to poor planning by the municipal council. Most space was improperly designed hence the problem,” Omwoyo added.
This comes few days after angry residents of Mwembe, Gekomu and Jogoo estates protested over the alleged hiking of rental prices without addressing key issues such as water and electricity.
“We are being punished unlawfully. These house owners are frustrating our lives in town given the economic depression we are undergoing,” said Kelvin Otieno, a long term resident of Mwembe.
He accused house owners of being insincere and urged them to avoid sabotaging economic activities of the town since most residents are low income earners.
“They should consider the harsh economic climate and general living standards. Many of us are earning less than a dollar in a day and if this persist, then something extraordinary must be done to curb it,” Otieno noted.
Most rooms are rented between Sh 2,500- 3,000 per month while students staying in hostels pay 9,000 shillings per semester. Some of the institutions in town include Kisii University, Jomo Kenyatta, Mount Kenya and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University among others.