The Council of Governors has welcomed remarks by President William Ruto to rope in the construction of markets under the affordable housing program.
Speaking to the press, COG Chair Abdullahi Ahmed, says the move will complement the economic growth brought by the the construction of the affordable houses by the Ruto administration.
”We argued that rightfully so, that markets are an essential social infrastructure for those communities, and they contribute to the economic well being in those areas where houses have been put up.”‘ Abdullahi remarked/
“‘You cannot take people out of a scholar station in with respect to housing, and then they are trading in those markets that or they’re standing by the roadside, selling their wares.” he added.
President William Ruto while defended the government’s use of the housing levy, saying it is a transformative tool not just for affordable housing, but also for wider infrastructure development—including markets and student hostels.
“We are not only using the housing levy to construct affordable housing, but we are also using it to build the markets. We now have 260 markets going on in Kenya,” said the President during a meeting with Coast region leaders at State House on Thursday.
The housing levy, which came into effect as part of the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP), deducts 1.5 per cent from an employee’s gross salary.
Employers match that with an equal 1.5 per cent contribution, bringing the total to 3 per cent. Though the levy has sparked public debate, the President insists its impact is already visible across the country.
Ruto highlighted that the programme isn’t just about housing. It’s also about supporting broader community infrastructure, including hostels for college students, markets for traders, and jobs for young people.