Raila promises to set up modern housing structures in slums if elected president

Raila promises to set up modern housing structures in slums if elected president

Raila Odinga during the groundbreaking of Makasembo Estate in Kisumu where LAPFUND is set to construct modern houses. PHOTO | COURTESY

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga now says if elected, his administration will roll out massive housing development projects across the country to address the rising number of people living in urban centres.

Odinga says as a result of rapid urbanization and growing population, there has been an influx of slums in major towns like Kisumu and Nairobi.

The ODM party boss says the rise in slums is as a result of desperation for shelter as people scramble to get roofs over their heads, leading to poor planning.

Odinga, speaking on Wednesday in Kisumu during the groundbreaking of Makasembo Estate where LAPFUND is set to construct modern houses, said such steps are in the right direction and will fix the housing shortage in the country.

“There is a shortage of houses, this is something that needs to be arrested and reversed. What is being done here today is basically responding to the needs of high numbers of our people who have moved from rural areas to towns as urbanization continues to escalate,” he said.

”The government needs to respond to the household needs and here we will need to come up with a proper plan of development.”

The former premier says his government will try to re-introduce the housing levy to address the housing shortage in the country, adding that the current administration of President Uhuru Kenyatta had tried to introduce the levy but was met with resistance.

“Uhuru’s government tried to introduce a housing levy where the employee will be contributing 1.5%, the employer 1.5%, then we will go into approval fund that enables us to roll out massive housing development in our country,” Odinga stated.

"We get shelter, then within it we must have schools where children are going to go and also have health facilities… by doing this we will be moving our people from poverty to prosperity for the values of the people will go up and this is how we will be able to increase our middle income as a country… this is the positive way of doing it."

Odinga says he has engaged the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) that was against the introduction of such levy and they are now softening their stand.

“I will talk to COTU which led the opposition in introducing that law and the leadership. Mr. Atwoli has assured me that they will cooperate with us as Azimio government when we go into the office late this year and we are going to introduce massive housing development into our country,” he stated.

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Raila Odinga Kisumu County Azimio Urbanization

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