NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 24 — President William Ruto has vowed to sustain his highly-criticized tax policies saying they are good for the country’s economic growth.
Ruto told a congregation at ACK Emmanuel Church in Nairobi’s Bahati that he does not mind being branded ‘Zakayo’ Swahili for Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector in Biblical time Jericho reputed as corrupt until he changed his ways following his encounter with Jesus.
“I have no problem being called names so long as I am focused on the destiny of this country,” he said. “I didn’t become President just for the sake of the title.”
He cited the Biblical story of Sanballat and Tobiah who resisted Nehemiah’s efforts to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls saying had he listened to the criticism, he would not have succeeded in accomplishing the God-assigned task.
“Had Nehemiah listened to Sanballat and Tobiah, the Jerusalem wall would never have been built,” President Ruto said. ” Some fellows are doing the same today but I will focus.”
Housing tax
The Head of State was speaking in defense of the Housing Levy, a tax introduced under the newly enacted Affordable Housing Act crafted by the Executive after the levy first introduced under the Finance Act was declared unlawful by the court.
The Affordable Housing Act imposes a 1.5 per cent tax on gross incomes with employers matching employees’ contributions.
The Head of State singled out the Affordable Housing Programme as one of the initiatives that will create jobs for young people and ensure decent homes for Kenyans, especially those living in slums.
He said 140,000 people have got jobs on the various affordable housing construction sites across the country.
President Ruto said his plan is for Kenya to have one million new home owners in the next five years.
Before the end of the year, the President announced, at least 30,000 houses will be under construction in Nairobi County, with the majority of the units in Makadara Constituency.