REPORT: Over 13 Million Kenyans Unaware Of The Affordable Housing Project
Over 13 million Kenyans are ignorant of the Affordable Housing Program, which is described as one of President William Ruto’s legacy programs aimed at providing citizens with housing alternatives while also increasing job growth.
This is according to the Kenya Housing Survey, which is conducted by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and aims to offer up-to-date statistics on the housing sector in order to guide policy decisions.
Out of the 28.18 million Kenyans polled for the report, 46.4% were uninformed of the initiative, with rural inhabitants accounting for the highest proportion.
Wajir (95.2%), Lamu (93.5%), Isiolo (92.8%), and Mandera (90.1%) were the counties with the greatest percentage of respondents who were not aware of the program.
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In contrast, 53.5% of respondents had sufficient knowledge of the housing program, which included incentives such as affordable housing relief at 15% of the gross wage.
The monthly and annual limits are Ksh.9,000 and Ksh.108,000, respectively.
Furthermore, 95.5% of Kenyans were uninformed of the tax deductibility of interest paid on home loans, while the remainder were well-informed about the incentive.
The tax deductibility of housing loans refers to a firm or individual’s ability to deduct interest paid on loans used to purchase a home from their taxable income.
This reduces the income that is subject to taxation. President Ruto’s administration has made housing a top priority, with a goal of building at least 250,000 residences every year.
Despite significant legal challenges, the High Court approved the project last year.
Through this, the government was able to deduct 1.5% of Kenyans’ pay, which was matched by employers.
Critics, however, claim that the idea is a money-making ploy for the wealthy.
“We initially believed the President that the project was about job creation, you know, a lot of English and talk,” former DP Rigathi Gachagua said on Monday during the unveiling of DAP Party’s new headquarters in Nairobi.
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“Until it came to my attention that it has nothing to do with that; it is a business. If you want to construct the houses, you have to sign a sub-contract from the Housing Principal Secretary with the company to sell you cement, metal and roofing sheets.”
Lands CS Alice Wahome responded by challenging Gachagua to give evidence for the claims.
“The procurement is public. So for somebody at the level of a former deputy president, to tell Kenyans that there is somewhere my ministry is sitting behind the scenes and making some illegal contracts,” Wahome said in Machakos on Wednesday, January 29.
“I would want him to tell the EACC where that is and who happens to be there so that then they can help me to deal with that as a corruption issue.”
REPORT: Over 13 Million Kenyans Unaware Of The Affordable Housing Project
