Type of wall material
The most commonly used material for walls is mud/wood at 36.5 percent followed by bricks/blocks and stone, while the least used material is tin. The use of stone walls for housing by households is six times more common in urban areas than in rural areas. Nationally, in male headed households, the incidence of stone walls is 17.5 percent compared with 15.0 percent in female headed households. On the other hand, almost half the households in rural areas have a combination of mud and wood as the main wall material. The use of corrugated iron sheets in male headed households is 12 percent higher than in female headed households, with the incidence higher in urban areas.
Table 6.6: Main material for walls
Name |
Stone |
Brick/ Block |
Mud/ Wood |
Mud/ Cement |
Wood only |
Corrugated Iron Sheets |
Grass/ Reeds |
Tin |
Other |
Households |
Total |
||||||||||
Kenya |
16.7 |
16.9 |
36.5 |
7.7 |
11.1 |
6.7 |
3.0 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
8,493,380 |
Rural |
5.7 |
13.8 |
50.0 |
7.6 |
14.4 |
2.5 |
4.4 |
0.3 |
1.4 |
5,239,879 |
Urban |
34.5 |
21.9 |
14.8 |
7.8 |
5.8 |
13.3 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
0.9 |
3,253,501 |
Male headed |
||||||||||
Kenya |
17.5 |
16.6 |
34.7 |
7.6 |
11.4 |
7.4 |
3.4 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
5,762,320 |
Rural |
5.8 |
13.1 |
48.9 |
7.3 |
15.4 |
2.6 |
5.2 |
0.3 |
1.4 |
3,413,616 |
Urban |
34.6 |
21.6 |
14.0 |
7.9 |
5.6 |
14.4 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
0.9 |
2,348,704 |
Female headed |
||||||||||
Kenya |
15.0 |
17.5 |
40.4 |
7.9 |
10.5 |
5.1 |
2.1 |
0.3 |
1.2 |
2,731,060 |
Rural |
5.4 |
14.9 |
52.1 |
8.0 |
12.6 |
2.4 |
2.8 |
0.4 |
1.4 |
1,826,263 |
Urban |
34.2 |
22.6 |
16.9 |
7.6 |
6.2 |
10.5 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
0.9 |
904,797 |
Kiambu County has the highest use of stone at 48.3 percent compared to West Pokot, where it is rarely used, with the incidence at 0.4 percent. The top 10 counties exceed the 16.6 percent national average in use of stone as walling material. The proportion of households with stone walls in Kiambu exceeds that of the bottom 10 constituencies combined. The share of stone houses in Kiambu is at least 32 times that for Bungoma and 140 times that of West Pokot. Notably, the number of households with cement walls in Kiambu at 226,488 is slightly higher than the total number of households with cement walls in the bottom counties. The predominant walling material in West Pokot is mud/wood at 79.8 percent followed by Kakamega and Vihiga counties at 74.5 percent and 73.4 percent respectively. Use of corrugated iron sheets in walls is highest in Nairobi, Kajiado and Kiambu Counties at more than 25 percent of households and lowest at 0.1 percent in Vihiga.
Table 6.7: Proportion of households by type of wall by county
Stone |
Brick/Block |
Mud/Wood |
Wood only |
Corrugated Iron Sheets |
|||||
County |
% |
County |
% |
County |
% |
County |
% |
County |
% |
Top 10 counties |
|||||||||
Kiambu |
48.5 |
Makueni |
72.6 |
West Pokot |
78.9 |
Meru |
62.6 |
Nairobi |
26.9 |
Nairobi |
47.3 |
Kitui |
63.9 |
Kakamega |
74.6 |
Nyeri |
60.3 |
Kajiado |
26.6 |
Nakuru |
32.9 |
Machakos |
61.5 |
Vihiga |
73.6 |
Laikipia |
44.9 |
Kiambu |
25.3 |
Mombasa |
30.4 |
Taita-Taveta |
42.9 |
Nyamira |
71.0 |
Nyandarua |
43.0 |
Murang’a |
14.2 |
Murang’a |
28.8 |
Mombasa |
40.6 |
Kisii |
70.6 |
Kirinyaga |
34.5 |
Machakos |
7.0 |
Kajiado |
27.7 |
Uasin-Gishu |
25.2 |
Bungoma |
70.2 |
Tharaka Nithi |
33.8 |
Baringo |
6.5 |
Machakos |
24.7 |
Kilifi |
22.8 |
Busia |
68.6 |
Turkana |
31.0 |
Homa Bay |
5.6 |
Kirinyaga |
24.3 |
Embu |
21.5 |
Narok |
68.4 |
Baringo |
25.8 |
Kericho |
5.1 |
Nyeri |
21.4 |
Kisumu |
21.0 |
Trans-Nzoia |
67.9 |
Embu |
25.3 |
Kisumu |
3.1 |
Embu |
16.2 |
Nyamira |
20.1 |
Homa Bay |
65.6 |
Isiolo |
22.3 |
Nyandarua |
3.0 |
Median county |
|||||||||
Baringo |
5.1 |
Siaya |
13.4 |
Tharaka Nithi |
42.1 |
Garissa |
7.2 |
Taita-Taveta |
0.9 |
Bottom 10 counties |
|||||||||
Bungoma |
1.5 |
Nyeri |
4.7 |
Kirinyaga |
18.5 |
Makueni |
0.4 |
Nyamira |
0.3 |
Trans-Nzoia |
1.4 |
Mandera |
4.5 |
Meru |
18.1 |
Kisii |
0.3 |
Kwale |
0.3 |
Nandi |
1.3 |
Narok |
3.8 |
Mombasa |
10.4 |
Homa Bay |
0.3 |
Busia |
0.3 |
Migori |
1.0 |
Meru |
3.6 |
Nyeri |
10.2 |
Migori |
0.3 |
Kakamega |
0.3 |
Kisii |
0.9 |
Baringo |
3.5 |
Garissa |
8.6 |
Mombasa |
0.2 |
West Pokot |
0.3 |
Nyamira |
0.8 |
Turkana |
3.5 |
Mandera |
6.0 |
Kisumu |
0.2 |
Mandera |
0.2 |
Kakamega |
0.8 |
Laikipia |
2.9 |
Wajir |
5.1 |
Kakamega |
0.2 |
Wajir |
0.2 |
Vihiga |
0.7 |
Samburu |
2.7 |
Kiambu |
4.8 |
Busia |
0.2 |
Kitui |
0.2 |
Turkana |
0.6 |
Wajir |
2.7 |
Machakos |
4.2 |
Siaya |
0.2 |
Bungoma |
0.2 |
West Pokot |
0.4 |
Nyandarua |
2.6 |
Nairobi |
3.8 |
Vihiga |
0.1 |
Vihiga |
0.1 |
There are only slight gender differences across counties in use of wall material. Aggregations of proportions at county level mask huge differences at constituency level (Table 6.9) in the dominant wall materials. In the top 10 ranked constituencies, more than 50 percent of the households have stone walls, with the highest in Juja at 81.2 percent while in Loima constituency these are non-existent. The use of mud/wood and corrugated iron sheets for walls is highest in Kacheliba and Embakasi South respectively and lowest in Wajir East and Mumias East. Overall, there are only slight differentials between male and female headed households.
The absolute number of male headed households is invariably higher in all constituencies hence lessening the overall effect of the few cases where the proportion of female headed households is higher than that of male headed households. For example, in the top constituencies with stone walls (Table 6.10), the proportion of female households is slightly higher in Roysambu, Thika Town, and Kajiado North. However, male headed households are more than double the female headed in absolute terms, so the number of male headed households with stone walls is higher than those of female headed households.
Table 6.8: Proportion of households by type of wall, county and gender of household head differences
Stone |
Brick/Block |
Mud/Wood |
Wood only |
Corrugated Iron Sheets |
|
|||||||||||||||
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
|
Top 10 County |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Kajiado |
30.0 |
22.5 |
7.5 |
Kisumu |
23.1 |
17.2 |
5.9 |
Tana River |
42.2 |
39.0 |
3.2 |
Tharaka Nithi |
35.9 |
29.3 |
6.6 |
Kajiado |
29.5 |
20.2 |
9.3 |
|
Machakos |
26.3 |
22.0 |
4.3 |
Migori |
18.8 |
14.0 |
4.8 |
Turkana |
24.2 |
22.6 |
1.6 |
Meru |
64.0 |
59.3 |
4.7 |
Machakos |
9.0 |
3.5 |
5.5 |
|
Kwale |
16.5 |
12.6 |
3.9 |
Kilifi |
24.3 |
19.6 |
4.7 |
Elgeyo-Marakwet |
54.5 |
53.2 |
1.2 |
Mandera |
19.1 |
14.7 |
4.4 |
Nairobi |
28.0 |
23.4 |
4.6 |
|
Samburu |
4.5 |
2.2 |
2.3 |
Kisii |
20.3 |
16.4 |
3.9 |
Makueni |
20.3 |
19.1 |
1.1 |
Embu |
26.6 |
22.6 |
3.9 |
Homa Bay |
7.2 |
3.4 |
3.8 |
|
Laikipia |
15.5 |
13.7 |
1.7 |
Kwale |
15.7 |
11.8 |
3.9 |
Kirinyaga |
18.8 |
17.8 |
1.0 |
Narok |
10.8 |
7.9 |
3.0 |
Kisumu |
3.9 |
1.6 |
2.4 |
|
Isiolo |
11.0 |
9.2 |
1.7 |
Siaya |
15.0 |
11.5 |
3.5 |
Bungoma |
70.5 |
69.5 |
0.9 |
Laikipia |
45.9 |
43.1 |
2.8 |
Kiambu |
25.8 |
23.9 |
1.9 |
|
Kilifi |
11.0 |
9.3 |
1.7 |
Bomet |
9.9 |
7.3 |
2.5 |
Mombasa |
10.5 |
9.8 |
0.8 |
Elgey-Marakwet |
21.4 |
18.6 |
2.8 |
Narok |
3.3 |
2.2 |
1.1 |
|
Narok |
6.1 |
4.7 |
1.4 |
Vihiga |
16.1 |
13.7 |
2.4 |
Nairobi |
3.9 |
3.2 |
0.7 |
Murang’a |
15.7 |
12.9 |
2.7 |
Laikipia |
3.1 |
2.1 |
1.1 |
|
Murang’a |
29.3 |
28.0 |
1.3 |
Kirinyaga |
17.5 |
15.2 |
2.2 |
Uasin-Gishu |
45.8 |
45.2 |
0.6 |
Samburu |
8.5 |
6.4 |
2.1 |
Migori |
1.9 |
0.9 |
1.0 |
|
Kiambu |
48.8 |
47.6 |
1.2 |
Homa Bay |
9.5 |
7.3 |
2.2 |
Kitui |
25.6 |
25.5 |
0.1 |
Nyeri |
61.0 |
59.0 |
2.0 |
Taita-Taveta |
1.2 |
0.3 |
0.9 |
|
Median county |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Kakamega |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.1 |
Lamu |
18.9 |
18.2 |
0.6 |
Mandera |
5.8 |
7.3 |
(1.5) |
Makueni |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
Kakamega |
0.3 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
|
Bottom 10 Counties |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Lamu |
10.7 |
11.6 |
(0.9) |
Nairobi |
13.7 |
14.6 |
(1.0) |
Marsabit |
28.7 |
33.7 |
(5.0) |
Siaya |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
Garissa |
1.0 |
0.9 |
0.1 |
|
Embu |
15.8 |
17.0 |
(1.2) |
Taita-Taveta |
42.6 |
43.6 |
(1.0) |
Homa Bay |
63.0 |
69.0 |
(6.0) |
Homa Bay |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
Baringo |
6.5 |
6.4 |
0.1 |
|
Mandera |
2.6 |
4.1 |
(1.5) |
Mombasa |
40.4 |
41.4 |
(1.0) |
Laikipia |
27.5 |
34.0 |
(6.5) |
Vihiga |
0.1 |
0.1 |
(0.0) |
Embu |
1.9 |
1.9 |
0.0 |
|
Meru |
11.6 |
13.3 |
(1.6) |
Bungoma |
14.0 |
15.0 |
(1.0) |
Narok |
66.1 |
72.8 |
(6.8) |
Taita-Taveta |
1.3 |
1.3 |
(0.0) |
Bomet |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.0 |
|
Tharaka Nithi |
12.6 |
14.8 |
(2.2) |
Kitui |
63.3 |
64.6 |
(1.3) |
Kilifi |
51.2 |
58.4 |
(7.2) |
Kericho |
11.7 |
12.0 |
(0.3) |
Nyeri |
1.5 |
1.5 |
0.0 |
|
Garissa |
5.5 |
7.9 |
(2.4) |
Makueni |
71.9 |
73.5 |
(1.6) |
Isiolo |
28.2 |
35.8 |
(7.6) |
Turkana |
30.8 |
31.3 |
(0.4) |
Meru |
0.4 |
0.4 |
(0.0) |
|
Elgey-Marakwet |
8.5 |
11.3 |
(2.9) |
Uasin-Gishu |
24.8 |
26.4 |
(1.6) |
Kwale |
54.3 |
62.2 |
(7.9) |
Nakuru |
13.2 |
14.0 |
(0.9) |
Tharaka Nithi |
0.3 |
0.3 |
(0.0) |
|
Wajir |
3.6 |
7.4 |
(3.8) |
Mandera |
3.9 |
7.4 |
(3.5) |
Samburu |
54.4 |
65.1 |
(10.7) |
Tana River |
11.7 |
12.9 |
(1.2) |
Nakuru |
2.9 |
2.9 |
(0.0) |
|
Nairobi |
46.0 |
51.5 |
(5.5) |
Garissa |
14.6 |
22.5 |
(7.9) |
Kisumu |
45.4 |
57.0 |
(11.6) |
Kiambu |
13.9 |
15.8 |
(1.9) |
Nyandarua |
2.9 |
3.3 |
(0.4) |
|
Kirinyaga |
22.6 |
28.1 |
(5.5) |
Machakos |
58.0 |
67.6 |
(9.6) |
Kajiado |
18.0 |
32.8 |
(14.8) |
Marsabit |
6.6 |
8.9 |
(2.3) |
Murang’a |
13.2 |
15.9 |
(2.7) |
|
Table 6.9: Proportion of households by type of wall, by constituency
Constituency |
Stone |
Constituency |
Brick/ Block |
Constituency |
Mud/ Wood |
Constituency |
Corrugated Iron Sheets |
Top 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Juja |
81.0 |
Mwala |
88.2 |
Kacheliba |
88.5 |
Embakasi South |
58.9 |
Ruiru |
78.4 |
Mwingi West |
85.1 |
Kuria East |
86.3 |
Dagoreti South |
57.0 |
Roysambu |
74.6 |
Kathiani |
85.0 |
Ikolomani |
86.1 |
Kabete |
54.5 |
Kasarani |
73.5 |
Kitui West |
83.9 |
Kitutu Chache North |
86.0 |
Kikuyu |
46.0 |
Thika Town |
73.2 |
Mbooni |
82.5 |
Navakholo |
85.7 |
Dagoreti North |
42.1 |
Embakasi Central |
72.3 |
Masinga |
81.0 |
Emurua Dikirr |
83.4 |
Kiambaa |
41.4 |
Embakasi West |
71.7 |
Kitui Central |
79.7 |
Khwisero |
82.6 |
Westlands |
40.0 |
Embakasi North |
68.6 |
Kaiti |
77.8 |
Ganze |
82.6 |
Makadara |
38.2 |
Nakuru Town East |
66.6 |
Kangundo |
73.6 |
Pokot South |
82.6 |
Kajiado East |
38.0 |
Kajiado North |
52.4 |
Makueni |
71.8 |
Narok South |
82.5 |
Starehe |
37.2 |
Median constituencies |
|||||||
Suba North |
3.4 |
Nakuru Town West |
10.2 |
Ol Kalou |
43.2 |
Isiolo South |
0.6 |
Bottom 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Kuria East |
0.3 |
Balambala |
1.0 |
Dagoreti North |
0.8 |
Bumula |
0.1 |
Shinyalu |
0.3 |
Banissa |
0.9 |
Starehe |
0.7 |
Butula |
0.1 |
Bomachoge Chache |
0.3 |
Wajir North |
0.8 |
Tarbaj |
0.6 |
Navakholo |
0.1 |
Aldai |
0.3 |
Emurua Dikirr |
0.7 |
Embakasi East |
0.6 |
Ikolomani |
0.1 |
Navakholo |
0.3 |
North Horr |
0.7 |
Makadara |
0.4 |
Kuria East |
0.0 |
Lafey |
0.2 |
Lagdera |
0.6 |
Embakasi West |
0.4 |
Hamisi |
0.0 |
Tarbaj |
0.2 |
Lafey |
0.6 |
Kangundo |
0.4 |
Sirisia |
0.0 |
Kacheliba |
0.2 |
Eldas |
0.6 |
Embakasi Central |
0.3 |
Vihiga |
0.0 |
Emurua Dikirr |
0.1 |
Loima |
0.4 |
Embakasi South |
0.2 |
Tongaren |
0.0 |
Loima |
0.0 |
Tarbaj |
0.1 |
Wajir East |
0.1 |
Mumias East |
0.0 |
Table 6.10: Proportion of households by type of wall, constituency and gender of household head
Male headed households |
|||||||
Constituency |
Stone |
Constituency |
Brick/ Block |
Constituency |
Mud/ Wood |
Constituency |
Corrugated Iron Sheets |
Top 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Juja |
81.3 |
Mwala |
87.7 |
Kacheliba |
87.2 |
Embakasi South |
60.5 |
Ruiru |
78.5 |
Kathiani |
84.6 |
Navakholo |
86.2 |
Dagoreti South |
57.8 |
Roysambu |
74.1 |
Kitui West |
84.2 |
Ikolomani |
85.8 |
Kabete |
55.0 |
Kasarani |
73.6 |
Mwingi West |
83.7 |
Kuria East |
85.7 |
Kikuyu |
47.1 |
Thika Town |
72.6 |
Mbooni |
82.5 |
Kitutu Chache North |
84.8 |
Dagoreti North |
44.9 |
Embakasi Central |
72.1 |
Masinga |
80.3 |
Emurua Dikirr |
83.3 |
Kiambaa |
42.6 |
Embakasi West |
71.5 |
Kitui Central |
80.2 |
Pokot South |
82.7 |
Makadara |
41.1 |
Embakasi North |
68.9 |
Kaiti |
78.2 |
Khwisero |
82.2 |
Starehe |
41.0 |
Nakuru Town East |
65.4 |
Kangundo |
73.3 |
Ganze |
81.9 |
Kajiado East |
40.5 |
Kajiado North |
51.6 |
Makueni |
71.2 |
Chepalungu |
81.7 |
Westlands |
40.4 |
Median constituency |
|||||||
Galole |
3.8 |
Emuhaya |
10.6 |
Homa Bay Town |
41.4 |
Kibwezi West |
0.7 |
Bottom 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Bomachoge Chache |
0.4 |
Balambala |
1.0 |
Dagoreti North |
0.8 |
Kimilili |
0.1 |
Kuria East |
0.3 |
Banissa |
0.9 |
Starehe |
0.7 |
Ikolomani |
0.1 |
Shinyalu |
0.3 |
Wajir North |
0.8 |
Tarbaj |
0.6 |
Hamisi |
0.1 |
Lafey |
0.3 |
North Horr |
0.8 |
Embakasi East |
0.6 |
Kuria East |
0.1 |
Aldai |
0.3 |
Emurua Dikirr |
0.8 |
Makadara |
0.5 |
Butula |
0.1 |
Navakholo |
0.2 |
Eldas |
0.6 |
Embakasi West |
0.4 |
Sirisia |
0.1 |
Tarbaj |
0.2 |
Lagdera |
0.6 |
Kangundo |
0.4 |
Vihiga |
0.1 |
Kacheliba |
0.2 |
Lafey |
0.6 |
Embakasi Central |
0.3 |
Tongaren |
0.0 |
Emurua Dikirr |
0.1 |
Loima |
0.5 |
Embakasi South |
0.2 |
Mumias East |
0.0 |
Loima |
0.1 |
Tarbaj |
0.2 |
Wajir East |
0.2 |
Navakholo |
0.0 |
Female headed households |
|||||||
County/ Constituency |
Stone |
County/ Constituency |
Brick/Block |
County/ Constituency |
Mud/Wood |
County/ Constituency |
Corrugated Iron Sheets |
Top 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Juja |
80.3 |
Mwala |
88.8 |
Kacheliba |
90.6 |
Dagoreti South |
54.5 |
Ruiru |
78.1 |
Mwingi West |
86.6 |
Kitutu Chache North |
87.8 |
Kabete |
53.1 |
Roysambu |
76.0 |
Kathiani |
85.5 |
Kuria East |
87.8 |
Embakasi South |
51.3 |
Thika Town |
74.6 |
Kitui West |
83.5 |
Ikolomani |
86.4 |
Kikuyu |
43.2 |
Kasarani |
73.1 |
Mbooni |
82.6 |
Narok South |
84.7 |
Westlands |
38.8 |
Embakasi Central |
72.7 |
Masinga |
81.9 |
Navakholo |
84.6 |
Kiambaa |
37.9 |
Embakasi West |
72.3 |
Kitui Central |
78.9 |
Emurua Dikirr |
83.7 |
Mathioya |
35.0 |
Nakuru Town East |
69.2 |
Kaiti |
77.2 |
Ganze |
83.4 |
Kiambu |
34.0 |
Embakasi North |
67.6 |
Kangundo |
73.9 |
Khwisero |
83.2 |
Dagoreti North |
33.1 |
Kajiado North |
54.8 |
Makueni |
72.7 |
Pokot South |
82.3 |
Kangema |
33.0 |
Median constituency |
|||||||
Kuresoi South |
3.2 |
Rarieda |
9.7 |
Voi |
45.3 |
Aldai |
0.4 |
Bottom 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Navakholo |
0.3 |
Tiaty |
0.7 |
Dagoreti North |
0.7 |
Kuria East |
0.0 |
Mwingi North |
0.3 |
Kacheliba |
0.7 |
Embakasi East |
0.6 |
Kitui West |
0.0 |
Bomachoge Chache |
0.2 |
Lagdera |
0.7 |
Tarbaj |
0.6 |
Mandera South |
0.0 |
Banissa |
0.2 |
Turkana North |
0.6 |
Starehe |
0.4 |
Mumias East |
0.0 |
Tarbaj |
0.1 |
Emurua Dikirr |
0.6 |
Makadara |
0.4 |
Vihiga |
0.0 |
Kacheliba |
0.1 |
North Horr |
0.4 |
Kangundo |
0.3 |
Matungu |
0.0 |
Mandera West |
0.1 |
Eldas |
0.3 |
Embakasi West |
0.3 |
Tongaren |
0.0 |
Lafey |
0.1 |
Loima |
0.3 |
Embakasi Central |
0.3 |
Lamu East |
– |
Emurua Dikirr |
0.1 |
Fafi |
0.3 |
Embakasi South |
0.1 |
Wajir West |
– |
Loima |
0.0 |
Tarbaj |
– |
Wajir East |
0.0 |
Tarbaj |
– |