Kenyans on social media have launched an online campaign to oppose the 1.5 percent housing levy on all employees.
Using hashtag #ResistHousingFundLevy, online users have rejected the government’s intention to implement the tax, terming it oppressive and a scheme by corrupt officials to steal more taxpayers cash.
They have also highlighted several other government programs that have failed despite consuming billions of shillings.
The tax was set to take effect beginning next month but the court has since temporarily suspended its implementation pending the hearing and determination of a case filed by the Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK).
The case will be heard on May 20th alongside another one filed by the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) and Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).
Here are some reactions from Kenyans online;
@ItsMutai tweets:” Suppose the government makes the economy conducive for every KENYAN to build a house? Even house rents in Nairobi are over the roof. Create wealth and let everyone have money in their pockets. Empower KENYANS. We have no food. We are dying of hunger#ResistHousingFundLevy.”
@kirigwi notes:” Show me Laptops.
Show me a New curriculum.
Show me Free Secondary Education.
Show me Football Stadiums.
Show me the PAID Government Internships.
Show me the 1 MILLION Jobs.
Show me PESA ya Wazee.
Show me U. Heath Care
Then I’ll let you build me a house!”
@abuamaramin says:” Who told this useless Jubilee government, the low income Kenyans priority is housing, they have more pressing issues like better jobs, health, education, infrastructure, markets, electricity, industrialization, corruption.”
@ItsMutai adds: “A person who LOOTS 5billion or even more of this housing Levy Fund will be only FINED KSH10,000 or imprisoned for 2years”. This is a travesty of the century. The thieves have already set their lenient punishment ahead of looting. Unbelievable!”
“The Government’s idea of “Affordable Housing” is a bigger version of Gakuyo Real Estate; and the Housing Fund Levy is like Ekeza Sacco. In the end, there will be no houses; but the billions will be gone,” explains @JKNjenga.
“Jubilee Government promised to build houses for the police force, they have failed. They promised to transform Kibera and Mathare slums into modern structures, they have failed. How on earth, will they succeed in building houses for millions of Kenyans?”@VictorMochere) April poses.
It is just another scam!
It is just another scam!
Kenyans have short memories…
Kenyans have short memories. When Kibaki came to power in 2003, Kenyans were already overtaxed. He promised to provide free Primary Education, and do away with Foreign Aid. He said that Kenya was self sufficient, with what we already have. We just have to seal the loopholes, where money gets lost. Uhuruto, then Moi’s ‘Project’, declared this a pipe dream, an impossibility. Yet Kibaki managed to do it. He built roads, on top of free Primary Education, without increasing taxes, or even introducing new ones. And he never went outside Kenya, to beg for money for any of his successful projects.