Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga on Monday, May 29, revealed that the proposed housing levy in the Finance Bill 2023, was originally a proposal by opposition chief Raila Odinga.
In a media interview, Hinga stated that he hosted Odinga at his home in South Africa and a discussion about the housing problem in Kenya birthed the idea.
Hinga explained that the ODM leader was concerned and passionate about the plight of Kenyans who were living in the informal settlement and helped him convince other leaders to pass the levy into law.
“I hosted the former Prime Minister way back in 2012 at my home in South Africa where we discussed the housing problem in Kenya, Raila was very passionate about the plight of Kenyans living in informal settlements.
“The person that helped me convince Atwoli and Sossion to support the Housing fund in the past regime was the former Prime Minister,” he stated.
Further, he noted that because of Odinga’s support, the levy which was included in the 2018 Finance Bill was passed by parliament.
However, the bill was petitioned and because it took too long in court, they decided to withdraw it.
“It was actually passed by parliament in the Finance Bill 2018 and it ended up in court. The court took one year and a half then we decided that it was not going to be ruled and we withdrew,” added Hinga.
The PS stated that it was shocking to hear Raila and other leaders oppose the bill yet they had supported it when they were working with the government.
Additionally, he stated that the Azimio leader was on record during campaigns promising that he would re-introduce the levy if elected president adding that the 2018 bill was to deduct 1.5 per cent from salaried Kenyans.
“I see everybody including my good friend Sifuna opposing it now but we were on the same page because NASA had joined us so they became our friends. Hold them to account because you cannot tell me that the course that I was pushing then is now poison.
“I do not think that is fair. Actually, Raila used the words ‘when I get elected, I will reintroduce 1.5’. Now he has changed his mind. Maybe the issue is that he is opposed to three per cent instead of 1.5 per cent,” he added.
