The Institute of Economic Affairs chief executive officer Kwame Owino has said President William Ruto's administration is not fully honest with Kenyans in its proposal on the Finance Bill 2023.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Kwame said the proposed bill will only benefit a few in society.
Kwame said the government aims to have the housing levy to fulfil commitments made to the beneficiaries of the housing program.
“PS Hinga said they already have investors yet they are not investing their money. The investors are being told to construct with the certainty that this fund will cover the risk by paying them,” Kwame said on Thursday.
He said the government would have first had the investors put up the houses.
Kwame also referred to the Finance Bill as a bad idea and Kenyans should not accept it.
“I am not an elected Member of Parliament and neither am I seeking election. I don’t work for the government either. Let me tell you, this is a bad idea,” he said.
He said many Kenyans were already struggling with low income and do not need houses.
"If the government was keen on fixing the housing problem in the country, it should focus on raising income levels. After raising the income levels then they could now build houses for citizens and not force them to purchase them as they are at the moment," Kwame said.
“If the government wants to build houses for people who live in slums that is not a bad thing. Constitution says that people have a right to housing but does not say that government has to force us to pay for it.”
