MPs Pass Affordable Housing Bill

MPs Pass Affordable Housing Bill

MPs Pass Affordable Housing Bill

Following a third reading, the Affordable Housing Bill was approved by the members of Parliament.On Wednesday, February 21, the Affordable Housing Bill was passed by the National Assembly members with a simple majority of votes.

Since some of the proposed revisions relate to the authority of county governments, the Affordable Housing Bill will now be brought up for Senate consideration for concurrence.After a first court ruling declaring it unlawful and rejecting it, it was brought up again with changes in Parliament.

A few MPs from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) staged a walkout earlier in the hearing.The MPs said that the exercise is defective and that the House had rejected all of their proposed revisions during a press conference held directly outside of Parliament.

The MPs lambasted President William Ruto accusing him of high-handedness in forcing through the Bill despite the fact that it’s unpopular with Kenyans who are facing a myriad of problems.They wondered why the proposals they had made on the Bill were rejected in a wholesale manner, accusing their colleagues of taking instructions from the Executive.

Nominated MP and ODM National Chairman John Mbadi threatened that they could be heading to court over the Bill which he said has been pushed down the throats of unwilling Kenyans.

“What Kenyans are witnessing is dictatorship by President Ruto, this is the real Ruto, a dictator who doesn’t care for as long as his interest are served, the housing levy only serves only Ruto’s interest,” he lamented.

President William Ruto urged the MPS to pass the law as soon as it was placed before them on February 16, while touring the regions of Mount Kenya with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

“I would want to inform the members of parliament that the Housing Bill, which the court requested be passed, should be passed. We are expected to be done by Tuesday, so that the young people without jobs can get employment. “The Members of Parliament ought to approve the Housing Bill at the crack of dawn and refrain from raising any queries,” said Ruto.