A section of residents of Homa Bay County have asked the government to allocate more funds for social housing and slum upgrading.
The residents hailed the Kenya Kwanza government for rolling out the affordable housing program, noting that thousands of jobs will be created from the projects.
They spoke during a public participation forum in Homa Bay town convened by the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.
A business community representative Jack Nyambega noted that 60 construction workers have been able to get a source of income from the affordable housing project in Homa Bay.
Nyambega asked the house allocation committee to prioritize the low-income bracket like mama mbogas, the bodaboda people, and Jua Kali workers.
He said that the project provided jobs for the business community through supply of raw materials, which is a step forward in the county.
A religious group representative, Ben Odipo noted that the affordable houses were a boon for the vulnerable people.
He proposed a reduction in the affordable housing levy imposed on employers and employees from 1.5 to 0.5 percent.
A student leader at Tom Mboya University Langat Emmanuel, also proposed the cost of affordable houses be lowered to accommodate students, adding that it will also be beneficial in terms of security.
The Chairperson of Homa Bay County Disability Forum Tom Okiki, called for the inclusion of a representative of persons with disability in project committees to foster equity as per the constitution.
In addition, he asked the architects to provide passage for wheelchairs in designing the affordable houses.
During the Public Hearing, the Chairman of the Finance and National Planning Committee Francis Kimani Kuria stressed that the ongoing public hearings are not in contravention of any court order.
He further affirmed that in the next one week, the committee will be able to retreat, compile all the views of the public hearing from the selected 19 counties, and come up with a report.
By Daisy Marcy and Davis Langat
