Ruto revokes appointment of Affordable Housing chair Linda Nkatha

In her place, the head of state appointed Jeremiah Ndambuki Simu to chair the board for three years. 

According to a Gazette Notice, President Ruto noted that the decision took effect on Friday, July 5.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 16 (3) (a) of the Affordable Housing Act, as read together with section 51 (1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, I, William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Jeremiah Ndambuki Simu to be the Chairperson of the Affordable Housing Board, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 5th July, 2024. The appointment of Linda Nkatha Gichuyia (Dr.) is revoked," the notice read in part. 

The decision to revoke Gichuyia's role as Affordable Housing Board chair comes barely three months after her appointment. 

Ndambuki's role will be to oversee the development of affordable housing programs across the country. Further, he shall coordinate the utilisation of the housing levy in implementing the program. 

Additionally, Ruto appointed Emmanuel Kombe Nzai as the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board chairperson for three years. 

The Affordable Housing program has been a cornerstone in President Ruto's legacy projects, as he emphasised his commitment to realising its success. 

In a past interview, Ruto noted that the major role of launching the program was to tackle the issue of unemployment in Kenya, which currently stands at 12.7 per cent according to the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).