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President Dr William Samoei Arap Ruto came to power with a lot of promises to
President Dr William Samoei Arap Ruto came to power with a lot of promises to Kenyans. One of the promises was about affordable housing program.
The president promised Kenyans that through the affordable housing program, they will be able to own houses. But one hidden secret that he did not mention to Kenyans has finally been exposed with under a year to elections.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah issued a warning to the public regarding President William Ruto’s flagship Affordable Housing Programme, cautioning Kenyans against purchasing the newly developed units.
Grounding his stance on legal and constitutional principles, the outspoken legislator declared the initiative an illegal enterprise that bypasses statutory land procedures and risks serving as a cover for land grabbing.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Omtatah emphasized that a significant portion of the housing projects are being erected on public and community land without lawful allocation, proper documentation, or public participation.
Citing findings flagged by the Auditor-General, the lawmaker argued that the current administration is unilaterally attempting to convert public land into private ownership—a move explicitly prohibited by the Constitution without strict statutory adherence.
“Affordable housing cannot become a cover for land grabbing,” Omtatah stated while demanding a formal Senate investigation into the state departments involved. He noted that neither the President nor any state officer holds the legal authority to sell public land to private individuals without following due process under the Land Act, Land Registration Act, and Physical and Land Use Planning Act.
Issuing a stern “buyer beware” message, Omtatah advised citizens not to waste their hard-earned money on the developments. He warned that any future administration committed to the rule of law will be obligated to repossess the land and restore it to the public domain.
According to Omtatah, individuals purchasing these units are engaging in high-risk financial transactions that lack legal backing and face potential forfeiture.
As public scrutiny over the mandatory housing levy and land acquisition processes intensifies, Omtatah’s petition calls on regulatory bodies—including the National Land Commission and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission—to intervene and halt irregular transactions before unsuspecting buyers suffer irreversible losses.
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