Bumula MP Jack Wamboka has launched a fresh attack on President William Ruto’s affordable housing programme, accusing the government of burdening workers with additional taxes while failing to address the underlying causes of Kenya’s housing crisis.
Wamboka questioned the sustainability of the housing levy, arguing that Kenyans needed better infrastructure to develop their own homes rather than being compelled to contribute towards government-led housing projects.
In a statement criticising the initiative, the legislator described the housing levy as a scam and accused the administration of using it to misappropriate public funds, although he did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegations.
“Kenya's housing problem is an economic problem. Kenyans need housing infrastructure like roads, water, sewer line and lighting to open up areas and they will build their own homes,” Wamboka stated.
The MP also questioned the progress of the affordable housing programme, demanding to know how many houses had been completed and sold to Kenyans since its implementation.
He cited the handover of houses in Nairobi’s Mukuru informal settlement, asking whether the development had resolved the wider challenges facing residents of the slum.
Wamboka further raised concerns about the contractors awarded housing projects and alleged that individuals close to the President were benefiting from supplying construction materials, including cement and steel. He did not name the contractors or suppliers he was referring to.
The legislator argued that the housing levy had placed additional pressure on employees already servicing loans taken to purchase land and construct homes.
According to Wamboka, imposing another financial obligation on workers reduces their disposable income and makes it harder for households to meet their existing financial commitments.
He warned that the houses could eventually remain unoccupied or fall into neglect if ordinary Kenyans could not afford to purchase them.
Wamboka also invoked concerns attributed to the Controller of Budget over expenditure, project awards, completion rates and the purchase of houses under the programme, calling for greater scrutiny of its implementation.
His remarks come amid continued political debate over the government's affordable housing agenda and the deductions imposed on salaried workers to finance the initiative.
The MP concluded by linking his criticism to the political contest ahead, declaring that although the government could empty Kenyans' pockets, it could not determine their electoral choices.
He called on Kenyans to support Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, signalling his opposition to Ruto's leadership and his preference for an alternative political direction.