Communities, groups can help State to fulfill housing promise

Workers at an affordable housing project in Mukuru, Nairobi, October 2022. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Emotions ran high during a TV panel discussion on September 13 when a renowned professor of architecture and urban planning repeatedly called the government's affordable housing plan a "stupid idea". For that, a Cabinet Secretary got agitated and responded to him with some unkind words.

A year since President William Ruto came to power, none of his flagship projects has elicited as much controversy as the affordable housing programme. Making it particularly controversial is the introduction of the housing levy, which requires every salaried Kenyan to contribute 1.5 per cent of their gross pay to the affordable housing kitty, with employers matching their employees' contributions.