Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has raised concern over how the government is handling the affordable housing program.
Speaking in the Senate on Thursday, September 25, 2025, he criticized the decision to award housing units as gifts, arguing that the move is unfair to ordinary Kenyans who are required to contribute to the scheme.
Khalwale reminded the House that workers across the country part with a portion of their salaries every month through the housing levy, money that is meant to build and support the program. He questioned why those contributions should end up funding free homes for selected individuals.
“I am seeing a red flag. When our athletes did well at the CHAN championship, they suddenly received houses as gifts. Is this how we want to use money collected from ordinary Kenyans?” Khalwale asked.
His remarks highlighted a growing debate about whether the scheme is being implemented in a transparent and fair way. According to him, rewarding achievers with houses sends the wrong message to taxpayers and workers who are already shouldering the financial burden of the project.
Khalwale further warned that such practices could discourage people from supporting the housing program in the long run.
“Can you convince people at Nyayo Stadium or Kasarani to keep paying into this scheme if their money ends up as gifts for others?” he questioned.
His argument suggested that if contributors feel that their sacrifices only benefit a few, trust in the government’s promises about affordable housing might quickly disappear.
The discussion was sparked after Harambee Stars players were handed homes following their recent wins in tournaments. While the gesture was framed as a way of celebrating national pride and sporting achievement, it has drawn criticism from those who see it as misuse of public funds.
To Khalwale, the idea of rewarding success should not come at the expense of the Kenyan worker who has little say on how their contributions are spent.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah also added his voice to the debate, but from a different angle. He warned Kenyans to be cautious about buying houses under the scheme. Omtatah said the land on which the housing units are being built still belongs to the government, and selling it without following proper legal procedures amounts to selling public property illegally.
He went as far as promising that if he becomes president in 2027, he will reclaim land that has been sold or allocated without following the law. In his words, “Public land must be protected and used correctly.”
Both senators stressed that the affordable housing program should serve its intended purpose providing decent housing opportunities to Kenyans who cannot afford the high costs of the private market rather than turning into a platform for gifts or illegal transactions.
Their concerns now put pressure on the government to review how it manages the scheme and to reassure contributors that their money is being used fairly and responsibly.
