Construction workers on Tuesday staged demonstrations in front of the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi in support of President William Ruto's Affordable Housing Project.
The builders who were clad in construction attire including helmets and reflector jackets hoisted placards and twigs demanding nullification of the Court of Appeal's recent decision that slapped an injunction on the collection of the Housing Levy.
While protesting the court decision, the builders expressed fears that the ruling could culminate in them being unemployed.
"We don't want money, we want jobs," the demonstrators chanted.
One demonstrator, while protesting the court decision held high a placard written, "Affordable Housing is not just a programme, it is a lifeline for a better quality of life, we support the housing levy."
The police who were on the lookout quickly intervened, stopping the demonstrators from invading the court premises.
Police, who were equipped with firearms, were forced to lob teargas in a bid to disperse the bulging crowd and contain the protests.
Determined to pass across their message, the builders marched within the court area yelling the popular slogan "haki yetu," (our rights), to vent their frustrations.
On January 26, a three Court of Appeal Judge bench comprising Justices; Lydia Achode, John Mativo and Mwaniki Gachoka declined the government's application to lift a High Court ruling which suspended the collection of Affordable Housing Levy.
In its ruling, the court ordered the government to halt Housing Levy deductions until cases filed against the programme are heard and determined.
"This is because if the stay sought is granted at this stage, should the Appellate Court affirm the impugned decision, then some far-reaching decisions that will have been undertaken pursuant to the impugned laws may not be reversible.
"Public interest in our view tilts in favour of not granting the stay or the suspension sought. Public interest tilts in favour awaiting the determination of the issues raised in the intended appeals," the judges ruled.
Responding to the ruling, President William Ruto affirmed although the government would appeal the court's decision, the government would continue collecting the deductions in the meantime.
Speaking in Igembe Central, Meru County, the Head of State maintained that the court should have given the government enough time to establish laws that would actualise the levy.
