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The legislator blamed the cases of crimes in the country for the mushrooming of slums.
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She said Nairobi should not have huge malls and yet there are people living in slums.
Image: FILE
Nairobi Woman representative Esther Passaris now seems to be dancing to President William Ruto's tune after she threw her weight behind the controversial housing levy that has been touted by the government.
The Azimio MP, while speaking on KTN News, on Tuesday, appeared to be going against Azimio's stand on the Finance Bill.
This after she said the country needs to eliminate slums through Affordable Housing.
"Even in Azimio, we contained the need to have decent houses in our manifesto. There is an outcry from a lot of people but without pain, there is no gain. We need to eliminate slums. I support the Housing policy," she said.
The legislator blamed the cases of crimes in the country for the mushrooming of slums.
She said Nairobi should not have huge malls and yet there are people living in slums.
"Let us give the government benefit of the doubt and pray the government deals decisively."
The legislator said the government needs to avert corruption to collect the funds.
Passaris said the government should invest in civic education because there is a lot of misconception.
She said this even as Azimio leader Raila Odinga has strongly rejected the Housing Fund Propasal saying it is a punishment to Kenyans.
The ODM leader cautioned Azimio MPs against voting for the bill.
"The tsunami of taxes in that bill will bury everyone, especially the jobless youth and the poor struggling down at the bottom. The Bill is a promissory note to strangle and suffocate the hustlers that Ruto promised to remove the rope from their necks," Raila said.
The opposition leader said the proposals are a sharp contrast to the promises made by Ruto during the campaigns when he said he would lower the cost of living by reducing taxes.
However, President William Ruto maintained that he wants the Finance Bill to pass because it will be beneficial to Kenyans.
The President said he is waiting to see the MPs who will oppose the bill.
"I am waiting for the Members of Parliament who will go and vote against the employment of these young people, against housing that would give these people the chance to own a house with five per cent mortgage," he said.
The Bill proposes, among others, that employees contribute three per cent towards the Housing Fund Levy.
This, Ruto said, is not a tax but a contribution and saving scheme towards the affordable housing project.
He also said the contribution is mandatory.