Housing levy should be voluntary, employers say

The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) has maintained that the proposed three percent housing levy should be voluntary.

This is even as President William Ruto maintained that every worker must contribute to the housing fund.

The FKE Chief executive officer Jacqueline Mugo said that the proposal that has been touted by some quarters as a good idea should only apply to  those willing to pay and can afford it.

“We need to have a dialogue on where the need is, how we identify those who really want the program because it should be made optional,” said Ms Mugo.

She said that Kenyans were not engaged on the matter and have not been informed on how the three percent levy was arrived at, even as questions are being raised on whether the proposal was feasible.

She argued that a number of Kenyans prefer to build homes in their in their rural villages while others had already built permanent houses.

“Everyone wants to contribute to a fund where they are sure to get the benefit, the fund as we understand is a pool of money and there is also no certainty that everybody who contributes will own a house,” she said.