By Betty Luke
Three Jubilee MPs from Isiolo are among 149 legislators who skipped yesterday’s vote on the controversial Affordable Housing Bill 2023.
Isiolo South MP Mohammed Tubi, his North counterpart Joseph Samal and Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya were nowhere to be seen when their constituents expected to see them cast their vote in favour or against the Bill.
By skipping the session on the 1.5 percent housing levy which will directly impact the lives of salaried Kenyans, the MPs failed to discharge the role they were elected for; representation and legislation.
Out of the countrywide 28 Jubilee MPs, only 14 were present during the voting with Embakasi West lawmaker Mark Mwenje the only one who opposed the Bill.
Only 199 MPs were present during the voting at the National Assembly with 141 of them, majority of them from the ruling alliance voting in support.
A total of 58 MPs, majority from the Opposition, voted against the Bill which is set to be sent to the Senate for concurrence. Twenty of them walked out over alleged failure by the House leadership to consider amendments during the second reading of the Bill.
A section of Isiolo residents have raised concern over the MPs absence, terming it a dereliction of their work.
“Why did we elect them if they cannot represent us on such a crucial vote?” Hussein Jillo posed, adding that none of the MPs reached out to the residents to gather their views about the Bill.
Ms Sarah Musa said the MPs should come out and tell the public where they were at the time and why they snubbed the crucial session. “It is sad that we have tepid MPs who cannot make their own decisions despite being given the mandate by the Mwananchi”.
Isiolo’s first phase of 200 units under the affordable housing programme is currently underway in Burat with other areas such as Ngaremara expected to benefit in subsequent phases.
MPs from the ruling alliance and Azimio coalition have disagreed on the Bill which the former say will create jobs for millions of unemployed youths with the latter insisting it was punitive to Kenyans who are reeling from the harsh economic times.
Three MPs in neighbouring Meru County skipped the voting. They are Tigania East Mpuru Aburi and his Imenti North and Igembe South colleagues Rahim Dawood and John Paul Mwirigi respectively.
Mr Mwirigi was involved in a road accident Tuesday afternoon.
Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere (Jubilee), Marsabit’s Laisamis, Moyale and North Horr MPs Joseph Lekuton (UDM), Jaldesa Guyo Waqo (UPIA) and Guyo Adhe Wario (KANU) were also absent.
In Tharaka-Nithi, UDA MPs Patrick Munene and Kareke Mbiuki of Chuka Igambang’ombe and Maara constituencies respectively snubbed the session.
President William Ruto’s allies who skipped the session were MPs Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Didmus Barasa (Kimilili), Ronald Karauri (Kasarani), John Kiarie (Dagoretti South), James Gakuya Mwangi (Embakasi North), William Kamket (Tiaty), Jayne Kihara (Naivasha), Samuel Arama (Nakuru town West) and Mukurweini’s John Kaguchia.
The Bill, which seeks to establish the Affordable Housing Fund by deducting levies from salaries, was tabled in Parliament last December after the High Court ruled that it was unconstitutional.
The court declared that the government had failed to clearly explain why the 1.5 percent levy was to be deducted from those in formal employment only, terming it as a violation.
The programme has however been ongoing in different parts of the country.
