Employers Presented MOU on Affordable Housing Bill to Parliamentary Departmental Committee

The Federation of Kenya Employment on Tuesday (FKE) presented a comprehensive memorandum on behave of employers addressing key concerns and proposals on the Affordable Housing Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 75 of 2023) to Parliamentary Department Committee on Housing, Urban Planning, and Public Works.

The event was chaired by Hon. Johana Ng’eno at Kenyatta International Convention Center(KICC) in Nairobi.
The Bill aims to establish a legal framework for the Affordable Housing Fund, ensuring access accessible and adequate housing. Federation of Kenya Employment was represented by Mr.Stephen Obiro, Head of advocacy, Consulting and partnership who conveyed Federation of Kenya Employment’s recomendationson the proposed legislation.

Among the key proposals made the Federation is the renaming of the Bill to align with article 43(1)(b)of the constitution, emphasizing housing provision and sanitation standards. Additionally, Federation of Kenya Employment suggests redefining.
“Affordable Housing” to include accessibility, adequacy and reasonable sanitation, setting the cost at 15% of the basic income. Concerns regarding the defination of a “collector” and the imposition of an affordable housing levy were also addressed, with Federation of Kenya Employmentproposing clear definations and capping the collector’s share at a maximum of 0.5% to preserve resources for intended purpose.

Furthermore, Federation of Kenya Employment(FKE) raises issues related to the order of parts in the bill, proposing a swap between part 11 and 111 for better alignment with the constitution.

The organization emphasizes the need to include reasonable sanitation standards in the bill’s object,aiming to prevent inadequate or or inaccessible housing projects . Federation of Kenya Employment advocates for the deletion of certain provisions, such asSection 11(a), (b), and (c), to ensure accountability and protect the Affordable Housing Fund.

The proposal touch on various aspect ,including the qualifications the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), eligibility criteria, preference in allocation of houses, and the role of board, all aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and fairness of the Affordable Housing Bill.
Federation of Kenya Employment emphasized its commitment to constructive engagement in the legislative process to ensure that the Affordable Housing Bill aligns with the constitutional provision and best serves the interests of all stakeholders.