MP Melly: Ngéno believed in the Singapore dream, he deserves a project in his name

Kibiwott Melly, the Kibiwott MP, signing the tribute book at Ngéno's home in Karen on March 2, 2026./HANDOUT

Tinderet MP Kibiwott Melly has eulogised his Emurua Dikirr counterpart, Johanna Ngeno, as a bold and visionary leader who firmly believed in the “Singapore dream” for Kenya’s urban transformation.

Melly further said Ngeno's contribution to the country’s housing agenda deserves permanent recognition through a project named in his honour.

Speaking during the requiem mass, Kibiwott proposed that Ng’eno’s legacy be cemented within the very programme he championed.

“Let us remember Ng’eno in one of the projects that we are doing. We remember many Kenyans in our street names and many other things; he deserves that,” he urged.

Kibiwott described Ng’eno as one of the most steadfast defenders of the Affordable Housing Programme at a time when the Housing Levy debate sharply divided public opinion.

“When he came to the House, he brought the housing bills. The housing bills were very unpopular, but he stood with it,” the legislator said, recalling the fierce resistance that greeted the policy in its early days.

The Housing Levy, introduced to finance the construction of affordable homes across the country, triggered heated national debate and legal challenges, with critics terming it an added burden on workers.

Supporters, however, argued it would help bridge Kenya’s housing deficit, create jobs, and modernise urban settlements.

According to Kibiwott, Ng’eno did not merely support the legislation in Parliament but took the campaign to the ground, engaging residents in informal settlements and newly constructed estates to explain the vision behind the project.

“He moved across the slums and the houses that were constructed. He was the face of the housing project,” Kibiwott told mourners, emphasising the late MP’s hands-on approach.

Drawing parallels with Singapore’s globally acclaimed public housing model, Kibiwott said Ng’eno was convinced that Kenya could achieve a similar transformation through deliberate state-led investment in housing infrastructure.

“If there was anybody who believed in Singapore, it was Ng’eno. And we saw the skyline changing. You look at Kibera, you look at all the medium cities in this country; Ng’eno gave us what the president was yearning for,” he said.

In the tribute, Kibiwott argued that Ng’eno understood housing as more than a development metric but as a social equaliser capable of restoring dignity to low-income families.

“The housing of this nation, the shelter for the people, and making sure that Kenyans are going to sleep and stay in safe houses,” he added.

As family, colleagues and constituents continue to mourn him, Kibiwott said that Ng’eno will be remembered not only as a vocal parliamentarian but also as a leader who embraced a controversial policy with conviction anchored in the belief that Kenya’s cities can be reimagined.