Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday took a swipe at High Court Judges after declaring the Housing Levy unconstitutional.
Speaking during the 17th Annual Planners Convention in Diani, Kwale County, Gachagua claimed that the petitioners who filed the case were seeking to sabotage President William Ruto's Housing Agenda.
"I am aware that people have gone to court to try to suspend the housing levy and sabotage the housing program.
"Much as we respect the independence of the judiciary, I want to request our judges to not sabotage that program," he stated.
Earlier in the day, a three-judge High Court bench comprising Justices David Majanja, Christine Meoli, and Lawrence Mugambi declared the levy unconstitutional and ordered the government to cease making the deductions.
"The Levy against persons in formal employment to the exclusion of other non-formal income earners without justification is discriminatory, irrational, arbitrary, and against the constitution," the High Court ruled.
Following the ruling, government lawyers requested 45-day stay orders to allow the government to make necessary amendments to align the Housing Levy with the constitution.
With the ruling on the prayers expected to be made on Tuesday at 3.00 pm, the Deputy President pleaded with the Judges to support Kenya Kwanza's Housing Levy which has been opposed by Kenyans across the board.
Gachagua remarked that there were thousands of young people today who have secured gainful employment from Housing programs. He argued that nullification of the Levy would render them jobless.
"That program would dignify the people of Kenya. It is the desire of every Kenyan who lives in an urban centre to own a home one day," he added.
While pleading with the judges to grant the stay orders, Gachagua noted that through the Affordable Housing Programme, Kenyans were able to acquire quality affordable houses.
President William Ruto has embarked on a plan to build 200,000 affordable housing units every year in his first term in office.
