Lands, Housing, and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has refuted Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s claims that the government’s Affordable Housing Programme is fraudulent.
Gachagua recently alleged that housing levy funds were being misused, claiming officials were diverting resources to sell construction materials such as cement, steel, and iron sheets for personal gain. He further alleged that government officials ensured the continued collection of the levy to sustain construction projects benefiting them financially.
Speaking in Machakos on Wednesday, Wahome challenged Gachagua to provide evidence to support his claims. “Procurement in my ministry is public. For somebody at the level of deputy president to claim there are illegal contracts, I would want him to tell the EACC where that is and who is involved so they can investigate,” she stated.
Wahome also noted that Gachagua had previously been involved in launching some of these projects. “He has forgotten that he launched some of these projects himself, alone or jointly with the President. Were his eyes closed at that time?” she questioned.
Clarifying the procurement process, Wahome emphasized that her office oversees contractor selection, but contractors independently source materials. “The procurement happens in my office, and we take full responsibility. However, contractors purchase their own materials,” she explained.
She assured Kenyans that the initiative has created employment and follows due process, with the first 4,000 housing units set for completion in early 2025.
