‘Nobody will stop me!’ Bullish Ruto maintains affordable housing project to go on

President William Ruto has once again stated that the court injunctions against the affordable housing programme will not deter his administration from implementing the Kenya Kwanza pet project.

Speaking in Bungoma County on Thursday where he commissioned one such project, President Ruto directed contractors to continue with the construction works despite the court seemingly slowing down the wheels of the housing program.

"The Constitution of Kenya mandates me to explain if there is a problem if we cannot raise money to do housing. We have a plan on how to raise money for housing; I have no explanation to give. This program must move forward for the benefit of Kenyans across the country," he said.

The President additionally took time to allay fears by contractors that stoppage in deductions of the levy could stall the implementation of the plan.

"Contractor wote wanaofanya kazi kwa mambo ya affordable housing pamoja na vijana wote wanafanya kazi kwa mpango huu, waendelee kazini kwa sababu hii mpango inaendelea mpaka pale tutamalizana na mambo kule kortini," said Ruto.

The Head of State and Health Cabinet Secretary Wafula Nakhumicha also made a case for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) that is now set to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

"Sasa wewe hutaki mtu mdogo apatiwe bima na serikali, mwingine apungunziwe kutoa Ksh.500 mpaka Ksh.300, hutaki tuwe na hazina maalum na yule ameenda kortini ako na insurance comprehensive, mtoto yake ako na kazi, sasa hawa watu jameni si nipambane na wao," said Ruto.

CS Nakhumicha added: "Mheshimiwa rais nimetembea nikifanya public participation nikawauliza mkienda hospitali mnaandikiwa dawa mnunue nje, nikauliza mko na card ya NHIF lakini unaambiwa lazima ulazwe ndio utumie. Nimeongea na watu wa cancer na sukari wanaambiwa waongeze pesa kwa NHIF, sasa mheshimiwa rais in a week nitapeleka sheria kamati ya delegated authority kuanzia 1st March."

Following the court's declaration of the housing levy as unconstitutional and having declined to give the government authority to continue with the deductions, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi has since written to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula demanding a refund of monies already deducted from MPs and other PSC staff.