Rédaction Africa Links 24 with MAUREEN KINYANJUI
Published on 2024-01-31 04:57:55
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ has expressed his disapproval of the recently concluded public hearings on the Affordable Housing bill, claiming that it was a misallocation of public resources. He criticized the Kenya Kwanza government for pushing what he considers to be an ‘illegality’, stating that it violated legal stipulations and went against court advisories.
Kajwang’ emphasized that the Constitution mandates a concurrence process between the speakers of both Parliament houses to jointly decide whether a bill affects national and county governments. He alleged that the government bypassed crucial procedures, claiming that the bill gained concurrence during a period when both Houses were in recess.
He further criticized the government for fostering impunity by circumventing the law, cautioning against such actions. According to the Senator, the government must adhere to legal guidelines for the Affordable Housing initiative to proceed.
Kajwang’s remarks come after the recent ruling from the Court of Appeal declined to suspend orders barring the state from deducting housing levy from Kenyans, with the justices stating that public interest lies in awaiting the determination of the appeal.
The public hearings on the affordable housing bill concluded on Tuesday, following meetings in Nairobi and Mombasa counties. The National Assembly’s joint committee on Finance and National Planning and that of Housing and Urban Planning have been receiving views from Kenyans and other stakeholders since January 17, in 19 selected counties. The bill, sponsored by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, seeks to provide a legal framework for the establishment of the Affordable Housing Fund and give effect to the right to accessible and adequate housing as provided for in the Constitution.
These committees are scheduled to meet with the Ministry of Housing to reconcile the views before drafting their final report for parliamentary debate.
