By Hassan Wekesa - Editor
Kenya, 15 October 2026 - President William Ruto on Thursday chided opposition leaders who have said they will stop the deduction of the Housing Levy if they ascend to power in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during the inspection of the Chepkorio Affordable Housing Programme in Elgeyo Marakwet, Dr Ruto said his Kenya Kwanza administration and the Broad-Based Government were doing what Kenyans have long wanted done since independence in terms of development.
“We are changing Kenya, we are transforming Kenya. Imagine it is only three years of Affordable Housing! How will Kenya look after 20 years? It will be way ahead in terms of development, exceeding even Singapore,” he stated.
President Ruto has said that Kenya must be at par with Singapore, which, according to him, awoke from slumber to realise development.
He attacked opposition leaders who stated that they will stop the deduction of the Housing Levy on the payslips of salaried Kenyans if they wrest power from Ruto in 2027.
“Those opposition leaders are very down. They are not my match,” Dr Ruto stated.
He joked that those who want to carry their chickens to the storey housing blocks must understand that there are lifts.
“This housing programme, including the construction of students’ hostels, is on course and has helped create employment for about 1 million Kenyans across the country,” he stated, adding that leaders who say they would stop the programme are insensitive.
President Ruto said the Affordable Housing Programme will help reduce land fragmentation, which is a threat to food production. With land consolidation efforts on course, he said that mechanisation would be possible.
Growing of cash crops, because of the availability of land, would help citizens realise economic emancipation.
More from Kenya
Third, he stated that the Affordable Housing Programme is designed to get around 8 million Kenyans out of slums and enable them to enjoy a decent living, with dignity.
He added that planned development will help the government extend services such as water and electricity connectivity to residents.
Linda Mwananchi Movement leader, who is rebranding The Equitable Party (TEP), Edwin Sifuna, who is the Nairobi Senator, on Wednesday stated that he personally endures the pain of salary deduction to fund the housing project.
“Is he done ranting about the KSh 24,000 I pay for his housing scam because there is also this KSh 43,000 I pay every month for his Social Health Authority (SHA) scam we also need to discuss,” Sifuna wrote on social media platform X, in a mix of Swahili and English.
He added that on top of Housing Levy and SHA deductions, about KSh 500,000 is slashed from his monthly salary as Pay As You Earn (PAYE).
Sifuna claimed that State House splashes a lot of cash on tea and mandazi and, as such, the Executive has no authority to insult the taxpayers who carry the burden.
“In 2027 we are cutting the fat out of our budget to bring relief to all Kenyan workers. The housing levy will go with Ruto,” Sifuna stated.