MPs Vote To Pass Affordable Housing Bill [VIDEO]

Members of Parliament in the National Assembly have unanimously passed the Affordable Housing Bill 2023.

The Bill sailed through on its Third Reading on Wednesday, February 21 with amendments by a simple majority.

"In a session chaired by Ugenya MP, Hon. David Ocheing, the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023 has undergone the Third Reading. 

In a session chaired by Ugenya MP, Hon. David Ocheing, the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023 has undergone the Third Reading.

Following an affirmative vote by a majority of Members of the National Assembly, the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023 has passed. #13thParliament #BungeKE pic.twitter.com/aKmG1vss1o — National Assembly KE (@NAssemblyKE) February 21, 2024

"Following an affirmative vote by a majority of Members of the National Assembly, the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023 has passed," announced the National Assembly on X.

This now paves the way for the Affordable Housing Bill to be considered by the Senate for concurrence given that certain components of the proposed amendments pertain to the jurisdiction of county governments.

"I want to give you the following guidance. The Majority Leader and Minority Leader, you are both right. This is a  Bill that concerns counties...So from here, the Bill will go to the Senate," National Assembly speaker, Moses Wetangula had indicated on February 15.

On February 20, the Bill, championed by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, sailed through the Second Reading, advancing to the committee of the whole house stage following the endorsement of 141 MPs, while 58 lawmakers opposed it.

Moving to the Committee of the Whole House stage permits lawmakers to propose amendments to the original bill before its final approval during the Third Reading.

The bill was tabled in the August House despite a court order that deemed it unconstitutional.

There was drama earlier after Azimio la Umoja MPs stormed out of Parliament in protest against the Bill.

In a press briefing outside Parliament, the lawmakers claimed that all their proposed amendments were rejected by the House, raising allegations of foul play in the exercise.

"We want to tell members of the Azimio coalition that many of them filed amendments as early as yesterday but unfortunately it looks like there are instructions from the Kenya Kwanza regime that the Bill must be passed without any amendments," Suna East MP Junet Mohamed led the MPs in criticising the government.

"They are not listening to the amendments or issues that can make life better for Kenyans. For that reason, we have instructed our members to drop all our amendments because they are not been engaged in a manner that can make the bill better."

He called out the Executive for meddling in Parliament's business, arguing that the matter ought to be handled independently regardless of one's political affiliation.

"We will prosecute the matter in public court because we have to tell Kenyans those against them and those for them. What is contained in that bill will make Kenyans' lives miserable and this is not what the Kenya Kwanza government promised," he added.

Several amendments were proposed in Parliament but the Kenya Kwanza MPs showcased their unity in numbers in passing the bill without amendments.

During a parliamentary group meeting in Naivasha on Monday, President Ruto urged Kenya Kwanza Alliance MPs to support the bill, warning that their constituents would judge them harshly if they rejected it.

"I want to tell the Members of Parliament that they should pass the Housing Bill, the one the court asked us to pass. By Tuesday, we are supposed to have finished so that the unemployed youths get jobs. The MPs should pass the Housing Bill early in the morning and they should not ask questions," Ruto stated.