It is not right for State to dictate how we should spend our money

President William Ruto (center) during the inspection of affordable housing project located at Mukuru in Nairobi on October 03, 2022. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

The 3 per cent housing levy contained in the Kenya Financial Bill 2023 has elicited howls of protests from Kenyans who feel the government is trying to burden them with more taxes. Notwithstanding the widespread disaffection, the government has continued to aggressively promote the tax (or levy as they call it) as critical to our social and economic development, raising fears that it is determined to impose it regardless of public opinion.

Leading from the front, the president, in a televised interview with journalists, passionately argued that the levy is a winning proposition for both contributors and beneficiaries and all patriotic Kenyans should support it. Giving examples of Singapore and China, the President argued that affordable housing projects have a positive multiplier effect on any economy as experience in these countries illustrates.