President William Ruto has been named a Global Champion of Adequate Housing for All, in appreciation of Kenya’s efforts in addressing the deficit of decent and affordable housing.

He received the honor at the High-Level Roundtable of the Global Champions for Adequate and Affordable Housing, held on the fringes of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In attendance were Presidents Duma Boko (Botswana), John Dramani Mahama (Ghana), and UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach.

At the meeting, which brought together representatives of 25 countries, the United Nations, development partners, and domestic banks to sign a historic Call for Action on Adequate and Affordable Housing, President Ruto proposed a Coalition of Global Housing Champions. The coalition would gather like-minded Heads of State and Government to advance transformative and inclusive housing policies.

President Ruto emphasized that the housing challenge is too vast for any single country to deal with unilaterally, and appealed for collective international action and the use of multilateralism.

He urged states to incorporate housing into national plans for country development, noting its central role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, resilience in the face of climate change, and social equality.

“In this vision, UN-Habitat is indispensable, linking global aspirations to local transformation,” he said.

The President also called for scaled-up and predictable financing, advocating stronger support for UN-Habitat, partnerships with financial institutions, and innovative models to meet the scale of the global housing challenge.

“Without adequate and predictable financing, adequate and affordable housing will remain out of reach,” he noted.

President Ruto highlighted Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme, aimed at ensuring every citizen enjoys the dignity of a decent home.

“Our ambition is to deliver 200,000 affordable units each year, not just as shelter but as engines of job creation, urban renewal, and equity,” he said. Nearly 170,000 units are already under construction, generating 320,000 jobs, with numbers expected to double to 650,000 as the programme scales.

#DeliveringThePlan pic.twitter.com/4W4gBfUfly

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) September 25, 2025

He added that the government has removed barriers to affordable housing by making public land available, providing tax benefits, and enhancing access to home loans through the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company.

“These deliberate choices anchor affordability while ensuring developments are well-planned, serviced, and integrated into urban transformation,” he said.

Kenya has further placed the housing agenda on the Affordable Housing Act 2024 and a Housing Levy to fund settlement upgrading.

“Our success will not be measured by the pledges we make, but by the communities we uplift, the roofs we raise, and the dignity we restore. Housing must not be the privilege of a few. It must become the reality of all,” he emphasized.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama praised Kenya’s Affordable Housing Programme, saying it was the model for how he had wanted to attain similar steps in Ghana, specifically by financing the housing with domestic sources.

“This is the time to reposition housing so that our people can get decent places to live in,” he said.

President Duma Boko of Botswana expressed hope that strategies adopted by African countries will address the continent’s massive housing deficit.

UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach applauded nations that have prioritized housing, noting Kenya’s housing levy as a bold step in tackling the financing challenge.

President Ruto urged nations to forge coalitions for action, bringing together governments, cities, the private sector, and communities to make housing a reality rather than an aspiration.

“We must align with related UN initiatives, especially Resolution 2/2 on transforming informal settlements and the ‘Building Climate Resilience with the Urban Poor initiative,’ which Kenya and Brazil proudly co-lead,” he added.