President William Ruto has criticised Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna after the lawmaker disclosed that he pays an average of Ksh24,000 monthly towards the Housing Levy.
Speaking on Tuesday, October 13, Ruto argued that Sifuna’s salary comes from taxpayers, including Kenyans whose children benefit from employment opportunities created through the Affordable Housing Programme.
The President challenged the senator’s opposition to the housing initiative, arguing that the programme provides jobs for thousands of Kenyans and should not be scrapped over concerns about monthly deductions.
President William Ruto and Senator Edwin Sifuna. Photo: Courtesy.
Ruto further questioned Sifuna’s salary, suggesting that the Ksh24,000 deduction indicated that the senator earned more than Ksh1 million monthly.
However, data from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) indicates that a Kenyan senator earns a gross monthly salary of Ksh739,600.
The President also maintained that the Affordable Housing Programme supports livelihoods by creating employment opportunities for young people across the country.
The exchange follows remarks by Sifuna on Wednesday, October 8, when he revealed that his payslip showed an average monthly Housing Levy deduction of Ksh24,000.
The Nairobi senator argued that the deductions gave him the right to demand accountability from the government over how it uses the money collected through the levy.
Sifuna also maintained that Kenyans contributing to the fund are entitled to question the implementation of the Affordable Housing Programme and how the collected funds are spent.
The latest exchange highlights the ongoing political dispute between the government and sections of the opposition over the housing initiative, particularly its financing, implementation and the deductions imposed on salaried workers.
