Nairobi, Kenya, Feb 10 – Qwetu Student Housing and the University of Nairobi Thursday announced a partnership on a 2,800 capacity Qwetu and Qejani Student Residence at the University of Nairobi’s (UoN) Chiromo campus.
The facility is aimed at alleviating the acute student housing shortage at UoN and is is expected to accommodate students from both the main and Chiromo UoN campuses.
Qwetu and Qejani Chiromo will be the eleventh Qwetu facility in the country, comprising of 850 beds of Qwetu Student Residences and 1,950 beds of the more affordable brand – Qejani Student Residences.
Speaking during the project’s official dedication and laying of the foundation stone ceremony held at the UoN Chiromo Campus, University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama Gitahi described the partnership as one that would help address accommodation challenges at the institution which currently has an acute shortage of over 45,000 beds.
“We are delighted to work with Acorn Holdings Limited to deliver this project because it will address the problem of insufficient student hostels we have grappled with for years. We believe that even as we continuously look for ways to improve our physical assets, the market entry of private developers such as Acorn Holdings, who have significantly transformed student housing in the country, is a welcome move.”
He noted that such partnerships will further enhance access to affordable, quality and secure student accommodation adding that it underlines the University’s commitment to ensure adequate housing for a growing student population.
“Our core mandate as the University of Nairobi is to teach and conduct research. Nevertheless, we have a responsibility to our student fraternity to provide decent, affordable and safe housing and such public private partnerships allow us to accomplish the same in an efficient manner.”
On his part, Acorn Holdings Ltd CEO, Edward Kirathe, expressed delight with the strategic partnership between the two institutions adding that the facility will be great for students seeking quality accommodation in a convenient location within the University.
“We are excited to partner with UoN and we look forward to building high quality facilities in an environment that promotes students’ success by fostering a sense of community while providing amenities that ease their day-to-day lives,” he said.
Qwetu currently has a portfolio of 10,000 beds of which 3,800 beds are completed and occupied. Out of the occupied beds, the highest percentage of students are from the University of Nairobi compared to other universities, which confirms the strong partnership between Qwetu and the University.
