National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has finally summoned the two most powerful officials in the lands and housing ministry to appear before the House on July 2, 2026, to answer for the growing crisis surrounding the Affordable Housing Programme.
Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome and Principal Secretary Charles Hinga will have to explain why projects across the country have stalled despite the continued deduction of the Housing Levy from millions of Kenyan workers.
The directive did not come out of nowhere. It followed sustained pressure from Members of Parliament from various regions who have been fielding complaints from their constituents about housing developments that were launched with great promise but have since slowed to a crawl or stopped entirely.
The frustration in the National Assembly was palpable as legislators took turns questioning the slow progress of projects in their constituencies.
Many of these developments were unveiled with presidential visits and media coverage, yet on the ground, little has changed.
Kenyans continue to contribute to the Housing Levy every month, and they are entitled to see results from a programme that was sold to them as a transformative solution to the country’s housing deficit.
The lawmakers argued that the gap between the funds collected and the visible progress on the ground has become too wide to ignore, and the questions from the public are becoming louder and more pointed.
Some MPs went further in their submissions, raising the unsettling possibility that certain officials within the ministry could be deliberately frustrating the implementation of these projects.
They suggested that such actions, whether motivated by incompetence or something more intentional, risk undermining the President’s affordable housing agenda.
This is a serious allegation because the President has personally invested considerable political capital in this programme, touring several parts of the country to launch and inspect housing projects.
If the delays persist, they do not just embarrass the ministry; they embarrass the presidency and the entire Kenya Kwanza administration. The Speaker’s decision to approve the request for a formal appearance therefore carries significant political weight.
When Wahome and Hinga appear before the House next Thursday, they will be expected to provide clear answers on three key areas.
First, they must give a detailed status report on all housing projects funded through the levy, specifying which are active, which are delayed, and which have been abandoned.
Second, they must account for the utilization of the billions of shillings collected from workers, explaining how much has been disbursed, to whom, and for what purposes.
Third, they must outline concrete measures being taken to ensure timely completion of the projects, including timelines and penalties for contractors who have failed to deliver.
The lawmakers will not be satisfied with vague assurances or technical jargon; they want facts and figures that can be verified.
The affordable housing programme is not just another government project. It is a central pillar of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s development agenda, and its success or failure will be measured against the promises made to the Kenyan people.
With billions of shillings already collected and millions of workers contributing every month, the stakes could not be higher. The appearance on July 2 is an opportunity for the ministry to restore public confidence by demonstrating accountability and transparency.
If they fail to do so, the political consequences will be severe, not just for the officials summoned, but for the entire credibility of the government’s flagship housing initiative.
Kenyans are watching and waiting for answers!
