The type of construction materials used in the walling of a house is an essential indicator of housing quality in Kenya and a predictor of household socioeconomic status.
According to the Kenya Bureau of Statistics, the Consolidated Housing Quality Index (CHQI) includes construction materials used in walls, floors, and roofs as determinants of housing quality alongside energy, water, and drainage access.[1]
This post highlights the most common material used to wall houses in Kenya based on the 2019 census.
Quick Facts
- 27.5% of conventional households in Kenya used mud or cow dung as the dominant walling material for their house.
- 16.5% of households in Kenya had a stone with lime/cement walls.
- 16.3% of households use concrete/concrete blocks/precast blocks as the dominant type of wall.
- 10.2% of households had bricks as the primary wall material.
- The most common wall type in urban areas was stone, with cement at 29.3%.
- The most common type of wall in rural areas was mud or cow dung, at 41.2%.
Durable and non-durable walling materials
The Kenya Population and Housing Census assesses the quality of housing materials based on whether they are durable or non-durable.
Durable walling materials strongly indicate better housing conditions and higher socioeconomic status than non-durable materials.
Durable materials include concrete/concrete blocks/precast walls, stone with lime or cement, bricks, timber, and prefabricated panels.
Non-durable wall materials include cane/palm/trunks, mud/cow dung, grass/reeds, plywood/cardboard, canvas/tents, nylon/cartons, covered adobe, stone with mud, uncovered adobe, iron sheets, offcuts/reused wood/wooden plunk.
Share of households by walling material used for the main house by county
Households across the country use different types of materials to build walls. In Kenya, the most common type of wall was mud or cow dung, used in 27.5% of all conventional households.[2]
Mombasa
In 2019, stone with lime or cement was the dominant walling material in Mombasa County, with 38.1% of conventional households using it.
Kwale
The dominant type of material used in the construction of walls in Kwale County was mud/cow dung, with 46.3% of households in the county using it in their houses.
Kilifi
Mud/cow dung was the most common type of wall material in Kilifi County, with 38.8% of households using it in their houses.
Tana River
In 38% of conventional households in Tana River, mud or cow dung was the dominant material used in the construction of walls, followed by grass or reeds at 21.6%.
Lamu
Mud or cow dung was the most common wall material in Lamu County, used by 40.8% of conventional households. It was followed by concrete or concrete walls used by 15.6% of the households.
Taita Taveta
Bricks were the most common wall material in Taita Taveta County, with 28.6% of households using them. Mud/cow dung was next at 19.6%, followed by covered adobe at 16.2%.
Garissa
The most common wall material in Garissa County was grass or reeds, with 29.2% of households using it. Next was iron sheets, at 14.1%, and mud or cow dung, at 13.5%.
Wajir
Grass or reeds were the dominant wall material in Wajir County, with 41.4% of the households using it. Next was stone with mud at 10.8% and mud or cow dung at 9.8%.
Mandera
The dominant wall material in Mandera was grass or reads with 33.6% of households in the county using it. Next was cane/palm/trunks at 12.7%.
Marsabit
Mud or cow dung was the dominant material used for walls in Marsabit County, with 20.5% of households using it. Next was cane/palm/trunks at 19.5%.
Isiolo
Mud or cow dung was the most common wall material in Isiolo County, used by 30.8% of the households. Next was timber, used by 14.5%.
Meru
The most common type of wall in Meru County was timber, with 57.8% of households using it. Next was stone with lime or cement, at 14%. Meru County has the largest share of households in Kenya, whose main walling material was timber, followed by Nyeri County, at 51.6%.
Tharaka-Nithi
Timber was the most popular wall material in Tharaka Nithi County, with 32.6% of households using it for their houses.
Embu
The most popular type of wall in Embu County was bricks, with 20.9% of households using the material for their houses.
Kitui
The dominant wall material in Kitui County was bricks, with 46.4% of the households in the county using the material to wall their houses.
Machakos
Bricks were the most popular material for walls in Machakos County, with 31.5% of households using them.
Makueni
Bricks were the most popular walling material in Makueni County, with 55.7% of the households using them.
Nyandarua
Timber is the most popular wall material in Nyandarua County, with 29.8% of households using it for walling.
Nyeri
Timber was the most common material used to wall houses in Nyeri County, with 51.6% of households using it for their walls.
Kirinyaga
The most common type of wall material in Kirinyaga County was timber, with 27.5% of households in the county using the material to build walls for their houses.
Murang'a
The most popular type of wall in Murang'a County was stone with lime or cement with 30.2% of the households using the material to build walls for their houses.
Kiambu
The most popular material used to build walls in Kiambu County was stone with lime or cement. 40.3% of conventional households in the county used the material to build walls.
Turkana
The most popular type of wall material in Turkana County was mud or cow dung, with 28.5% of households in the county using the material to build walls.
West Pokot
Mud or cow dung was the most popular material for building walls in West Pokot, with 74.8% of households using it for their houses.
Samburu
Mud or cow dung was the most common wall material in Samburu County, with 52.6% of households using it.
Trans Nzoia
Mud or cow dung was the most popular wall material in Trans Nzoia County, with 59.5% of households using it.
Uasin Gishu
Mud or cow dung was 33.9% the most common material used in the construction of walls in Uasin Gishu County.
Elgeyo-Marakwet
Mud or cow dung was the dominant walling material in Elgeyo Marakwet, used by 36.6% of households in the county.
Nandi
Mud or cow dung was the most common type of wall in Nandi County, used by 59.6% of households.
Baringo
Mud or cow dung was the dominant wall material in Baringo, used by 36.5% of households in the county.
Laikipia
In Laikipia County, the dominant material used for the construction of walls was timber, used by 31.7% of households.
Nakuru
In Nakuru County, the dominant material used for the construction of walls was stone with lime or cement, used by 32.5% of households.
Narok
Mud or cow dung was the most common wall material in Narok County, with 60.7% of households using it in construction.
Kajiado
The most common type of wall used in Kajiado County was iron sheets, with 32.4% of households in the county using the material in their houses.
Kericho
Mud or dung was the most common type of wall in Kericho County, with 40.6% of households using it.
Bomet
Mud or dung was the most popular material for walls in Bomet County, with 51.5% of households using it.
Kakamega
Mud or cow dung was the most popular material for constricting walls in Kakamega County, with 71.7% of households using it.
Vihiga
Mud or cow dung was the most popular wall material in Vihiga County, with 70.4% of households using it.
Bungoma
Mud or cow dung was the most common type of wall in Bungoma County, with 59.5% of households using it.
Busia
Mud or cow dung was the most popular type of wall in Busia County, with 60.8% of the households using it.
Siaya
The most popular type of wall in Siaya County was mud or cow dung, with 57.6% of households using the material for their walls.
Kisumu
Mud or cow dung was the most popular type of wall in Kisumu County, with 43.3% of households in Kenya using it.
Homa Bay
Mud or cow dung was the most popular wall material in Homa Bay County, with 58.4% of households using it.
Migori
Mud or cow dung was the most popular wall material in Migori County, with 56.8% of households using it.
Kisii
Mud or cow dung was the most popular wall material in Kisii County, with 60.3% of households using it.
Nyamira
Mud or cow dung was the most common wall material in Nyamira County, used by 60.3% of households.
Nairobi
The most popular material used in the construction of walls in Nairobi was concrete, with 40.3% of households using it for their houses.
See Also
References
[1] 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census: Monograph on housing conditions and amenities. Vol. XIX.
[2] 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census: Distribution of population by socioeconomic status. Vol. IV.
