Nairobi — President William Ruto has said the government will further strengthen the Housing Fund to help more Kenyans purchase affordable housing units.
The President said that as the government rolls out the affordable housing program, there must be a solid plan aimed at addressing the financing of low-income earners to consume the units.
The President said Kenyans will now be contributing 3 percent of their income and kick start their journey of owning a house.
"Every employee who contributes 3 percent, the law will compel their employer to also contribute 3 percent to the Housing kitty," he added.
He spoke during church serving and the official opening of Friends Church (Quakers) Donholm, Nairobi County.
Present were Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, his spouse Tessie, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Affirmative Action and Gender Aisha Jumwa, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, and several MPs.
The President said civil servants will also benefit from the program.
President Ruto said the government's plan of increasing members' contributions to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has helped the country increase its savings.
He said the move will help the country to manage its foreign debt by borrowing locally.
"In just two months, we have doubled the amount of money that we are saving as a country," he said.
The President said the government is also working with the county government of Nairobi to clean and make the city green.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"We are not only going to clean the city of Nairobi, but we are also going to generate electricity out of the refuse of the city," he said.
The Head of State assured Nairobi residents that the government will increase the number of affordable housing units to ensure they live in decent houses.
Mr. Mudavadi urged Kenyans to be patient as the government works on restoring the economy.
"It takes time, consistency, commitment, and sacrifices so that we can get there," he said.
Mr. Sakaja said the government's digitization initiative will transform service delivery.
He added that the digitalized system will also increase the county's revenue collections and hence improve service delivery.
At the same time, President Ruto asked the opposition to take advantage of the bipartisan committee to address issues of concern.
The President said violent protests have not achieved anything but disrupt and destroy the livelihoods of Kenyans.
"There is no need to destroy people's property in protests. Opposition leaders should present their grievances to Parliament," he said.
