Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has vowed to scrap key government deductions if President William Ruto leaves office after the next General Election.
In a statement on October 14, Sifuna questioned the KSh24,000 housing levy he cited and the KSh43,000 in monthly payments linked to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
“Is he done ranting about the KSh24,000 I pay for his housing scam? There is also the KSh43,000 I pay every month for his SHA scam, which we need to discuss,” Sifuna said.
Sifuna Says Kenyan Workers Will Get Relief
He also cited KSh500,000 in monthly Pay As You Earn (PAYE), criticizing Ruto over what he described as his treatment of taxpayers.
Sifuna said his proposed budget changes would relieve Kenyan workers, adding that the housing levy would end with Ruto in 2027.
“Once we finish with that, we can talk about the KSh500,000 in PAYE he takes every month and splashes on tea and mandazi at State House, all while insulting the taxpayers who bear the burden of his greed. In 2027, we will cut the fat from our budget to bring relief to all Kenyan workers. The housing levy will go with Ruto,” he stated.
Speaking in Elgeyo Marakwet on October 13, 2026, Ruto argued that the levy supports affordable housing projects and employment for young Kenyans.
“I want to tell that man (Sifuna) to use his brain and stop making noise. The people who pay your salary are these Kenyans. One million young people are working on affordable housing because of these Kenyans,” Ruto said.
He also challenged Sifuna’s claim that he pays KSh24,000 monthly towards the housing levy, arguing that the amount would indicate a monthly salary of KSh1.8 million.
“If you pay KSh24,000 in housing levy, it means your salary is KSh1.8 million. You want to stop this program so Kenyans living in squalor stay there while you live in a five-bedroom house. Is that person really thinking?” Ruto stated.
Ruto’s SHA Records 31.39 Million Registrations
President William Ruto’s Social Health Authority (SHA) recorded 31.39 million registrations by June 2026, but only about five million contributors remitted payments, according to the Ministry of Health.
More recent reports put SHA registrations at approximately 33 million Kenyans, comprising about 22.2 million principal members and 10 million dependants.
SHA began a new provider contracting cycle covering the 2026–2029 period on October 1, 2026. After governors and healthcare providers raised concerns, the authority extended the contracting deadline to October 14, allowing existing contracts, services, and claims to continue during the transition.
Private hospitals have raised concerns that contract terms make SHA payments dependent on available funding, exclude interest on delayed payments, and lack an enforceable guarantee to recover outstanding amounts.
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Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said in a Ministry of Health statement issued on Friday, October 2, 2026, that the transition from the SHA Provider Portal to the Health Management Information System (HMIS) confused healthcare providers and other stakeholders.
“There has been some miscommunication and confusion regarding the transition from the SHA Provider Portal to the Health Management Information System (HMIS). It is important to clarify what has been in place, what is changing, and how the transition is expected to improve healthcare delivery,” Duale stated.
Ruto has also directed that the SHA plan incorporate more than 107,000 Community Health Promoters, with their stipend arrangements due for review by December 2026.
Housing Levy Court Battles
In a separate development, the Court of Appeal on September 25, 2026, upheld the Affordable Housing Act and the mandatory housing levy, dismissing 42 consolidated appeals.
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The ruling allows the government to continue collecting the levy, although petitioners may seek further review at the Supreme Court.
Employees continue to contribute 1.5% of their gross monthly salaries to the housing levy, with employers matching it with an additional 1.5%.
Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga said the government had collected approximately KSh120 billion through the Housing Development Levy.
Ruto has defended the housing program, arguing that it supports affordable housing and employment. He has claimed the program created about 1.1 million jobs, a figure critics dispute.
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