Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticized the government’s affordable housing initiative, labeling it a deceptive scheme disguised as a job creation effort for Kenyan youth.
The project, introduced by President William Ruto’s administration—where Gachagua served for two years before his impeachment last October—was promoted as a solution to the housing crisis faced by low-income Kenyans while also promising job opportunities for thousands of young people.
Since 2023, employed Kenyans have been contributing 1.5 percent of their salaries to this initiative, with employers matching that amount.
“We initially took the President at his word, believing the project was genuinely about job creation, filled with a lot of rhetoric,” Gachagua remarked on Monday during the launch of the DAP Party’s new headquarters in Nairobi. Previously, he had praised the initiative as “highly beneficial” for skilled workers and artisans.
“However, I soon realized that it’s not about that at all; it’s a business venture. To build these houses, you must sign a subcontract with the Housing Principal Secretary to purchase materials like cement, metal, and roofing sheets from specific companies.”
Gachagua alleged that “some of the most prominent figures in Kenya” are linked to these unnamed companies.
“This housing levy is designed to ensure ongoing construction so they can profit from selling building materials; that’s what the President accused me of failing to grasp and labeled me incompetent,” he continued, referencing some of the reasons cited in his impeachment motion.
“Once a new government takes office, this housing levy must be repealed to restore the integrity of payslips.”
During the Mashujaa Day celebrations on October 20 last year, Ruto announced that his government had set aside Ksh.4.4 billion specifically for payments to “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)” involved in the affordable housing program.
“Our partnership with the Jua Kali sector has shown the Affordable Housing Program’s immense potential to revolutionize local manufacturing,” he stated at that time.
Gachagua has been actively building alliances with political figures he once opposed, particularly following his removal from Ruto’s administration. He has labeled these gatherings as consultative as he charts his political path forward.
On Monday, he met with opposition leaders Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa, the head of DAP, where he pledged to hinder Ruto’s chances of re-election in the upcoming 2027 general election.
“We are united in this effort and will embark on this journey together to free our nation,” Gachagua declared. “We are prepared to make any sacrifices needed to ensure that William Ruto serves only one term as president.”
Over the weekend, he paid a visit to Martha Karua, the leader of NARC Kenya, who ran against the Ruto-Gachagua ticket as Raila Odinga’s deputy in the 2022 elections, at her residence in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County. Additionally, he has welcomed various leaders to his home in Wamunyoro, Nyeri County.
