Why Paying For Housing Levy Does Not Guarantee You An Affordable Housing Unit - CS Alice Wahome.

CS Alice Wahome addressing people at a past event. Photo: CS Alice Wahome

Kenyans who are currently contributing to the housing levy will not have automatic ownership of any of the affordable housing units.

CS Alice Wahome, in an interview with the local media, stated that merely contributing to the levy does not give anyone the right to automatic ownership, as she linked the funds to another form of tax.

In the said interview, she explicitly stated that in the same manner Kenyans pay for road levy and don't own the road, it is the same thing the Housing levy is, as it facilitates the creation of affordable houses for low-income Kenyans.

"The money you are contributing to Housing Levy is not supposed to give you a house, it is helping us build the house.

"Contributing to the Housing Levy does not guarantee owning a house under Boma Yangu," CS Alice Wahome.

President Ruto and CS Alice Wahome at a past event for Affordable Housing. Photo: CS Alice Wahome.

She clarified, saying it is a rent-to-own scheme that is cheaper than the current commercial houses currently for sale.

“We are not building to give them to you, it is for a rent-to-own agreement. Think of it as a tenant purchase scheme.”

Affordable housing is a hot topic of discussion among many Kenyans, who are opposed to it since its first implementation by the Kenya Kwanza government.

Recently, the former DP Rigathi Gachagua joined critics of the program and threatened to remove the initiative, calling it a hoax and a program that suppresses the tax income of many Kenyans in this difficult time.

“Affordable housing, there is no transparency. Some people are already paying loans for their own houses they are building or they bought or built. But now, they are still having their salaries for Affordable housing. These are the things I was opposing and I was told I'm incompetent,” Gachagua said.