CS Machogu Statement to Teachers over Housing Levy
CS Machogu Statement to Teachers over Housing Levy. Ezekiel Machogu, the cabinet secretary for education, has claimed that the housing initiative’s primary beneficiaries will be teachers.
Speaking at the laying of the foundation stone for the Science Complex building at Nairobi School, the CS suggested that teachers benefit from the program because they are currently living in subpar housing.
Since their employer (the government) would also contribute, he said, “most of the homes our teachers live in are not in the best condition.”
The housing levy is a stepping stone toward home ownership, Machogu also told the educators.
His remarks came amid resistance to the housing levy, which claims the measure will hurt Kenyans’ finances.
Charles Hinga, principal secretary for housing, said the project will require a 3% contribution.
The PS claimed that by doing this, the government will be able to reliably recruit investors for the housing initiative and compensate them after the project is complete.
“Both the employer and the employee are required to contribute to the housing fund. Then, he continued, “as a nation, we are able to go out to the market and call investors, telling them to come with their money, build houses in great numbers, and when they are finished, give us the keys, get paid, and go.
Senator Edwin Sifuna of Nairobi argued that the government need to let Kenyans decide on the Housing Levy and listen to their opinions.
Sifuna claimed that because the populace is barely getting by, saving money is not something that can be forced upon them.
“We don’t look for jobs to pay taxes, we look for jobs to improve our financial standing to help our families come out of poverty and feed our children, take the levy to the people and let them decide whether they want to pay or not,” he said.