Salasya vows to scrap housing levy if elected president
Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya has pledged to abolish the controversial housing levy should he ascend to the presidency in 2027.
Salasya cited the levy as a burden to Kenyan workers and a contradiction to the spirit of affordable housing.
You might also like
Taking to his official social media channels on Monday night, August 4, 2025, the youthful parliamentarian criticised President William Ruto’s administration for what he termed a failure to uphold the true meaning of affordable housing.
He argued that deducting money from workers’ payslips, while construction materials like steel and cement remain overpriced, defeats the purpose of making homes affordable for ordinary Kenyans.
The first-term MP further pointed out that reducing the cost of essential building materials will have a direct impact on making housing projects more realistic and accessible, especially for low-income earners.
“One of the most immediate things I will do as president, the moment I take over, is to remove the house levy in payslips and ensure the prices of steel in Kenya become cheaper. Bei ya chuma ni kama kujenga nyumba nyingine,” Salasya vowed.
“This aspect will relate well with this narrative of affordable housing because you can’t talk about affordable housing, yet the prices of steel is three times the initial prices and cement prices is way high.”
Additionally, he added that President William Ruto had violated the principle of affordable housing, noting that he will have a lot of work to do as the incoming president.
“President William Ruto has violated this principle of affordable housing. Niko na kazi sana kama the incoming president,” he added.
With his bold declaration, Salasya continues to position himself as a voice for the common mwananchi, tapping into growing discontent over the high cost of living and rising taxes under the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Housing levy
Salasya’s remarks come amid ongoing public debate over the legality and fairness of the housing levy, which is deducted from formal sector workers’ salaries to fund the government’s flagship housing program.
The levy has faced backlash from various quarters, including trade unions and civil society, who argue that it punishes workers without offering clear benefits.
Presidential bid
Apart from scrapping the housing levy, Salasya also declared that industrialisation will be at the heart of his government if he assumes the presidency in 2027.
“As I prepare to take over the leadership of this nation in 2027, I want to make one thing absolutely clear: industrialisation will be one of the core pillars of my agenda. For far too long, Kenya has remained a consumer economy — importing what we could easily produce, exporting raw materials instead of finished products, and watching our youth suffer in silence due to joblessness. That must change. And I promise you, under my leadership, it will,” Salasya stated.
