Do Not Sabotage Our Program- Gachagua to Judges on Housing Levy
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Tuesday pleaded with High Court Judges following the nullification of the Housing Levy.
He indicated that petitioners who had argued for the abolishment of the housing levy were seeking to sabotage President William Ruto’s housing development 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.
The Deputy President was speaking during the 17th Annual Planners Convention, Diani, Kwale County.
A three-judge High Court bench comprising Justices David Majanja, Christine Meoli, and Lawrence Mugambi had ruled that the government should cease collection of the funds.
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“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 had ruled.
Government lawyers requested 45-day stay orders to make necessary amendments to the Housing Levy through the National Assembly to make it constitutional.
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 that is imposed on salaried Kenyans.
Gachagua remarked that there were thousands of young people today who are engaged in the housing program and 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 center 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 afford cheap but standard houses.
President William Ruto has embarked on a plan to build 200,000 affordable housing units every year in his first term in office.
Do Not Sabotage Our Program- Gachagua to Judges on Housing Levy
