Azimio la Umoja senators from the coast region have vowed to shoot down the affordable housing bill once its tabled in the senate saying that it was aimed at overburdening Kenyans with taxes.
Members of the National Assembly overwhelmingly voted for the controversial bill giving way for its implementation.
The statements were made by Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, his Mombasa counterpart Mohamed Faki and Kwale Senator Issa Juma Boy when they visited the Kilifi County Assembly in Malindi town where they also asserted that housing was a devolved unit as per the 2010 constitution and that county governments should be the ones constructing the housing without overtaxing Kenyans.
“The national government is overstepping the constitution by forcefully invading and destroying peoples’ private properties in the guise of affordable housing.
How do you destroy a house to build another house without following due process, the victims have title deeds but President William Ruto and his goons do not care,” said Madzayo.
Faki said that housing is currently a devolved unit and that governors dishing out land for the affordable housing projects were doing so in disregard of the law.
“Governors should understand that county land should not be donated without involving residents of that county and what we are seeing is that the governors are creating a problem for the future,” he said adding that Ruto should hand over the affordable housing to the counties to implement.
Senator Juma Boy said that public participation was enshrined in law and that county governments should have been given the opportunity to consult their people before rushing into the affordable housing project.
“It happened recently in Mombasa where private citizens with genuine land title deeds were evicted and their properties destroyed by the national government claiming that they want to build affordable housing. You are destroying someone’s house to build him another house that he or she will pay is stupidity,” he said.
They claimed that no serious public participation had been carried out, especially in areas where the national government was demolishing private homes to construct affordable houses.
County Assemblies are also calling on the bill to be tabled in the 47 county assemblies in the country since each county has its own unique housing plans devoid of demotions.
Kilifi County Assembly speaker Teddy Mwambire said that it would be wise if the Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) were allowed to debate the bill before it is implemented.
“It will be prudent for governors to seek advice on whether to release land to the national government instead of just dishing out land for affordable housing that may bring problems in the future,” he said.
He added that some governors had given out land meant for county projects to President William Ruto to implement the affordable housing project without conducting due diligence.
“This bill ought to have been tabled in the county assemblies since each county has got its unique housing experience but the governors have overstepped their mandate and the move will create problems in future,” he added.
Biko Steve 
IAN BYRON