By MUTHUI MWAI 

The government hopes to collect Sh1.8 billion annually as rent from State-owned residential quarters in the country.

At the same time, it denied there were plans to sell houses and plots recently vacated by civil servants.

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing public relations officer, Mr Mugo Muchiri, told those eyeing the vacated plots that they were dreaming.

Mr Muchiri said: "The government aims at collecting Sh150 million every month from these residential houses. This money is already factored in the national Budget for the year 2002 to 2003."

He dismissed as far-fetched claims that there were plans to sell the houses: "The government recently organised a seminar for district surveyors and told them of the plan to retain these plots as State property."

Mr Muchiri said the houses will be renovated to make them attractive for would-be tenants.

"We will issue a comprehensive statement on all housing matters in due course," he added.

Many civil servants who could not afford the increased house rents for Government houses had a hectic time over the Christmas and New Year holidays hunting for cheaper houses.

The Head of Public Service, Dr Sally Kosgei, had given them up to end of last year to pay increased rents or vacate the houses.