Ruto's Affordable Housing Bill sails through Second Reading

President William Ruto's administration on Tuesday inched closer to actualizing the Affordable Housing Programme when the MPs voted in favour of the bill during the Second Reading.

141 MPs cast their ballot in favour of the bill against 58 who opposed it.

"In a division on the Second Reading of the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023, the results are as follows; the ayes 141, the nays 58; total votes 199, abstentions nil, so the ayes have it," Speaker Moses Wetang'ula said.

The Bill will now go into the third reading during Wednesday's session and if endorsed by two-thirds of the members present, it will pass and await its presentation to the Senate.

Speaker Wetang'ula allowed members wishing to file amendments to the new bill to do so by noon Wednesday before the start of the afternoon session.

He, however, overruled Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi's request for amendments to the Order Paper to have a third reading postponed to allow members opposed to the bill to table their amendments.

"Bearing in mind the enormous number of possible amendments that are coming from members on this very contentious bill, I want to plead with you to consider giving us a little bit more time in terms of arranging the Order Paper," Wandayi said.

"Hon Speaker, the feeling of most members here is that the timing of 2.30 pm tomorrow is too soon for those processes to be undertaken and be completed," he added.

Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung'wah told Wandayi that he sits on the House Business Committee and was party to the resolution that the third reading be held on Wednesday.

"I'm glad that he asserts that he is a member of the House Business Committee and these are the things that we should have transacted and he did not raise it," Ichung'wah said.

Ichung'wah had on Monday while speaking at a retreat of all senior government officials assured President Ruto that the Kenya Kwanza side will use its numerical advantage in the House to ensure the bill is passed.

"We should be able to conclude that business tomorrow (Tuesday), hopefully on Wednesday afternoon we get into third reading...and be able to process the bill forward to the Senate so that they are able to advertise it by Friday, engage the public and be able to get a new Affordable Housing Bill before the next payroll," he said.

"Usually, many corporations both private and public process their payrolls after the 15th of the month, so we hope by the 15th of March, your Excellency, you will have assented to the new Affordable Housing Bill," he added.

The new bill was introduced to the House after the courts declared twice the 1.5 per cent Housing Levy which is meant to finance Ruto's Affordable Housing Project unconstitutional.

Judges said the levy was not only discriminatory and unfair as it excluded earners in the informal sector but that it was also never subjected to public participation.