On Thursday, Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda offered his support for the revised version of the Affordable Housing Bill, despite opposition from leaders in his region. Ojienda justified his stance by emphasizing that Affordable Housing is a fundamental element of his party leader Raila Odinga’s agenda. He highlighted that the government has confirmed that housing allocation will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, allowing every Kenyan to apply for a home.
Furthermore, Ojienda clarified that the government is committed to ensuring that Affordable Housing projects are established in every county. He cited examples such as Homabay and Nairobi, where projects are nearing completion. Ojienda argued that the initiative aims to revitalize dilapidated estates across the country.
However, both ODM and the Azimio Coalition opposed the bill, expressing concerns about the heavy tax burden it would impose on Kenyans. During the 2022 presidential election campaign, Azimio’s manifesto outlined plans, had Raila been elected, to establish a Housing Fund to support County Governments in project development. The coalition also proposed exempting construction materials from Value Added Tax (VAT) to reduce construction costs nationwide.
Ojienda, who was expelled from ODM for aligning with President William Ruto before being reinstated by the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal, stands as one of the party rebels supporting the affordable housing project.
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