Eala MP Hassan Omar and nominatedSenator Miraj Aabdillahi have defended President William Ruto's proposed three per cent housing levy in the Finance Bill 2023.
The two leaders said the levy was not new as the President talked about the issue in the build-up to the August 2022 general elections.
Omar reiterated that the levy is not a tax increase, but tax justice to ensure equality as he accused the Jubilee administration of plunging the country into huge debts.
“There has to be tax justice, if you are earning more then you will pay more. The President was very categorical about helping Kenyans develop a saving culture,” Omar said.
“The housing levy will enable many Kenyans become homeowners,” he added.
He spoke in Mombasa on Saturday after officiating the launch aof ‘The Voice of Mombasa Movement’, a social movement and business initiative by former MCA candidates for the UDA party.
Omar said the President was keen on reducing heavy borrowing and doing away with unnecessary subsidies that were not helping grow the economy.
“Ruto had to remove subsidies on unga because you don’t subsidise consumption but production. That is why the Kenya Kwanza government has subsidised fertilisers to help more farmers access it and produce food for the country,” Omar said.
He took a swipe at those alleging that President Ruto was planning to privatise the port of Mombasa, adding that the President helped Kenya by returning the port to the people from the hands of his predecessor and his cronies.
He added that the Ruto-led administration had managed to stop extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances and was committed to making Kenya safer.
Senator Miraj while defending the three per cent housing levy said that the President was only asking Kenyans to sacrifice a little for their future development.
She said the President was trying to move away from expensive loans currently burdening the citizenry and asked Kenyans to support the him.
“What the President is talking about is not tax. This is money the government is helping you save so that you can become a homeowner in future,” she said.
She called on opposition chief Raila Odinga to stop his demos against the government and allow the President implement his economic agenda.
Lands and Housing CS Zachariah Njeru on Saturday defended the housing levy when he appeared before the Senate standing committee on roads, transportation and housing in Naivasha accompanied by his PS Charles Hinga.
