President William Ruto has defended Kenya’s affordable housing programme, launching a scathing attack on the opposition whom he blamed for using the issue of housing to make political points at the expense of millions of Kenyans living in slums.
Speaking at the second Africa Urban Forum held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, the president called on African leaders to be ready to make courageous and sometimes unpopular decisions to bring meaningful changes in the continent.
The forum provided Ruto with the opportunity to put the spotlight on Kenya’s housing project, which, he believes, is the solution to the increasingly rapid urbanisation problem in Africa.
In fact, he argued that the programme is a great way to offer decent and affordable homes to primarily those low-income earners who are currently living in shanty towns (informal settlements). Thanking the Members of Parliament for backing the controversial housing levy.
The head of state considered their move as inevitable even though public resistance was high. For Ruto, policy decisions of this nature are key in rolling out long-term solutions to housing shortages.
He said that the development of Africa will be led by those leaders who are not afraid of making bold moves and making decisions that are not popular but which will secure sustainable urban growth.
According to Ruto, Kenya is planning to provide decent housing to at least seven million people who are currently living in informal settlements, and this will be one of the pillars of the country’s housing programme.
