Senior counsel Ahmednassir Abdullahi on Sunday, June 4 stated that Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has always been passionate about the housing levy.
Ahmednassir called on Kenyans to give credit to Mr. Odinga for being the original father behind the levy that has sparked a lot of conflicting reactions among Kenyans.
“Kenyans please…please…give Hon Raila credit. He was always passionate about the Housing levy,” Ahmednassir stated.
Likewise, he urged President William Ruto to give credit to the opposition leader as it was his idea, and the head of state is only implementing the plan.
“The Housing levy was Hon Raila’s brainchild. President William Ruto is just implementing a good idea Raila came up with, ” stated the lawyer.
Raila Odinga announced on May 2022 during his campaigns for presidency that he will introduce a housing levy to address the housing shortage in the country should he get elected.
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Moreover, the former administration under Uhuru Kenyatta proposed a mandatory levy but met stiff opposition from other stakeholders led by the Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) and eventually declared the levy voluntary.
Kenyans in formal employment would have to contribute 1.5 percent of their gross salary as a housing levy if the idea was passed then.
Mr. Odinga had vowed that if elected, he would roll out massive housing development in the country to address the gaps witnessed.
Nonetheless, presently, the President William Ruto-led administration is facing criticisms from the opposition and the public over the high cost of living.
The government’s move to which it will be mandatory for salaried citizens to contribute, has received a backlash from some Kenyans who want the agenda dropped.
The levy that has attracted a lot of backlash from Kenyans seeks to tax 3 per cent of workers’ monthly basic salary to fund Ruto’s affordable housing project.
According to the head of state, the creation of employment is what’s driving him to introduce the plans to Kenyans.
“The real motivation behind it (housing project) is the jobs we are going to create for the young people of Kenya. Ni kuhakikisha kwamba vijana wanapata ajira (It’s to ensure the youth are employed),” he said last Friday.
