Nairobi’s push for affordable and eco-friendly housing has received a major boost after real estate developer Mi Vida Homes handed over 200 green housing units to International Housing Solutions (IHS) Kenya at its 237 Garden City project along Thika Superhighway.
The project, dubbed Muzi Stawi — meaning Peaceful Home (Muzi is home in Taita and Stawi is peaceful in Swahili), is part of Mi Vida’s wider 237 Garden City affordable housing neighbourhood. It targets working-class Kenyans who have been priced out of conventional homeownership.
Mi Vida chief executive officer, Samuel Kariuki, said the partnership with IHS reflects a new approach to scaling up affordable housing in Kenya without compromising quality.
“Affordable housing must not mean compromised standards. We are proving that you can deliver modern, green, and well-located homes at accessible price points,” Mr Kariuki said.
Adding;
“Our partnership with IHS Kenya reflects a shared commitment to scalable housing that speaks to the urban Kenyan’s evolving needs.”
The 237 Garden City project features studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments built using the IFC EDGE green building tool, which promotes energy and water efficiency. This reduces utility costs for residents while supporting long-term affordability.
Located within the integrated Garden City precinct, the homes benefit from close access to retail, commercial, and leisure amenities, offering residents a modern urban lifestyle.
IHS Kenya managing director, Kioi Wambaa, said the project embodies the firm’s mission to redefine affordable housing in Kenya.
“Our investment in Muzi Stawi reflects our ambition to redefine what affordable housing can be,” Wambaa said.
Adding;
“At IHS Kenya, we are on track to deliver about 3,000 quality, affordable green homes by 2030. Projects such as Muzi Stawi are not just developments; they are a promise to the Kenyan market that affordability and excellence go hand in hand.
Partnering with Mi Vida has shown what is possible when timelines are met, standards are upheld, and aspirations are shared. Garden City is an address that embodies modern living, and we are proud to make it accessible to more Kenyans.”
According to the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Residential Report 2025 by Hass Consult, the region needs over 200,000 new housing units annually, but delivered only 35,000 in 2024, leaving a gap of more than 165,000 units each year, particularly in the affordable housing segment.
Growing demand
Mi Vida has more than 3,000 affordable housing units in the pipeline across Nairobi and other urban centres. The developer is banking on partnerships like the one with IHS to speed up delivery and meet the growing demand.
IHS Kenya, a private equity-backed affordable housing investor, has been instrumental in funding projects across the region. Since 2005, the company has delivered over 40,000 affordable housing units in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Kenya.
The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US-based Hunt Companies, a leading global real estate and infrastructure fund manager.
The success of the 237 Garden City project, which broke ground in 2023, has drawn interest from homebuyers and institutional investors, buoyed by Mi Vida’s track record of on-time delivery and the project’s strategic location along a key transport corridor.
Mi Vida and IHS Kenya say they plan to deepen their partnership with additional projects that will support the government’s affordable housing agenda, create jobs, and drive infrastructure-led economic growth.
With Nairobi’s affordable housing crisis worsening, the Muzi Stawi project is being hailed as a practical example of how public-private partnerships can close the housing gap while promoting sustainable, climate-friendly urban living.
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