Government's housing fund proposal faulted by Jubilee Party NEC member

By Robert Mutasi

Jubilee Party National Executive Council (NEC) member Wanja Maina has criticized a plan by the Kenya Kwanza government to deduct 3 per cent of civil servants salaries for the Housing Fund. 

Wanja says it should be a personal decision for one to either own a house or not.

In an interview on NTV, the Jubilee NEC member described the Housing Fund proposal as unsound, especially for the civil servants who already have houses.

She noted that the government should first work on addressing inequalities in salaries for civil servants before introducing more deductions.

Wanja also expressed concerns that the Housing Fund, if implemented, might discourage investors from building new rental units.

"There are people whose source of income is being a landlord and building rental houses but it looks like very soon we shall not have people building houses and renting them out as a source of income," noted the Jubilee party official.

She further noted that Kenyans are yet to fully understand the idea behind the Housing Fund proposal.

"So if you are taking my three per cent and you don't understand that model up to the very end, why should I trust you with my three per cent?" she posed.

However, the Director of Political Affairs in the Amani National Congress (ANC) Omulo Junior defended the Housing Fund proposal, noting that every Kenyan has a right to own a decent house.

Omulo has further explained that the housing fund will boost Kenyans' savings.

"You know you are giving three per cent and your employer is also adding another three per cent so it means your saving is increasing," he said.

Since taking over the country's leadership in September 2022, President William Ruto has been focusing on Affordable Housing as one of his key development agendas.

He has set a target of constructing at least 250,000 housing units every year.

The units will be owned by Kenyans.