NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 1 – Azimio coalition leader Raila Odinga has called out the government over the housing levy project saying it lacks inclusivity.
Odinga said the government is rushing to implement the Affordable Housing project instead of focusing on solving major basic concerns affecting Kenyans including the high rate of youth unemployment.
He has now demanded that the government prioritizes integrated development by making the Affordable housing project suitable in various aspects targeted to benefit locals.
“Government has ignored solving the problems of housing, education, work, and healthcare currently affecting Kenyans. People are going to be living here in these settlements but where are they going to work, where is the market, the health centers?” he questioned.
Odinga stated that integrated development will help open up the Nation’s struggling economy and will greatly benefit Kenyans but they should not be forced to benefit from the housing project.
He argued that those already with houses are being forced and subjected to pay for the affordable housing project by the government.
“The government made provisions in the budget for rolling out this Affordable housing project countrywide and there will be beneficiaries benefiting from the project. Government should not force Kenyans to benefit from the project against their will,” he stated.
The opposition leader emphasized the need for the government to avail avenues for dialogue on how the housing project will be rolled out across the country.
“Government should make Kenyans understand about the housing project and how it will be implemented,” he said.
Last Month the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Finance and National Planning Kimani Kuria assured Kenyans that Parliament will enact robust legislation to protect the Affordable Housing Program.
This commitment follows a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal, which declared the Housing Levy unlawful and invalidated President William Ruto’s Affordable housing pet project, citing constitutional violations.
“I want to clarify that the court’s ruling does not hinder us from conducting public hearings. The objective of this Bill is to provide the legal framework that the court found lacking in the housing levy,” Kuria explained.
