NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 21- President William Ruto’s affordable housing agenda is inches away from succeeding after the National Assembly approved its regulatory framework.
The Affordable Housing Bill 2023 contains the legal framework, which will now be forwarded to the Senate for consensus.
The Bill was passed by MPs allied to President Ruto without amendments suggested by the Opposition coalition- Azimio.
The decision to push forward with the Bill came after President Ruto rallied lawmakers at a retreat in Naivasha, urging them to expedite the legislation aimed at formalizing the housing levy.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa underscored the significance of the Bill, emphasizing the strides made by the current administration in advancing the affordable housing agenda.
“They have every reason to cry because if in ten years you could only build 1900 houses, but you now see an administration which in less than a year is doing close to 40,000 houses and is on the verge of accomplishing the promise,” Ichungwa remarked.
Despite objections from the Azimio camp, Kenya Kwanza lawmakers managed to reintroduce a key provision requiring occupants to pay a deposit for housing units, a move aimed at bolstering the viability of the program.
In response to concerns raised during public participation, amendments to the Bill granted the Treasury Cabinet Secretary discretion to determine the deposit requirement, addressing some stakeholders’ apprehensions.
Additionally, MPs voted to empower the fund board to allocate resources for institutional housing and housing project off-take, further solidifying the framework for affordable housing initiatives.
Notably, the Bill incorporates measures to enforce penalties for offenses committed during the implementation of the affordable housing plan or levy administration, ensuring accountability and compliance.
As tensions flared during the legislative proceedings, Azimio lawmakers, led by Minority Whip Junet Mohammed, staged a walkout, decrying what they perceived as undue influence and procedural irregularities.
“Azimio filed several amendments, some yesterday and some today morning. Unfortunately, it looks like there are some instructions from the Kenya Kwanza regime that this bill be passed without amendment,” Mohamed lamented.
The opposition MPs accused President Ruto of employing strong-arm tactics and exerting undue pressure on legislators, a claim refuted by Ichung’wah, who maintained that due process was followed.
With the Affordable Housing Bill now poised for Senate deliberation, the showdown between political factions over the housing agenda is expected to shift to the judicial arena, setting the stage for legal battles and constitutional scrutiny.