NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 29 – President William Ruto has hit back at his critics over the Affordable Housing Programme, mocking an argument that chickens cannot climb to the 12th floor of high-rise buildings.

📻 Breaking It Down

Speaking during an engagement with the Teso community at State Lodge in Eldoret, Ruto dismissed the argument as shallow thinking and questioned why a chicken could not simply be transported upstairs using a lift.

Ruto was responding to criticism of his housing programme, with his remarks appearing directed at Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who has previously questioned the suitability of high-rise affordable housing for communities in Western Kenya where residents keep chickens.

“Another one even says that his biggest reason for opposing affordable housing is that a chicken cannot climb to the 12th floor,” Ruto said, drawing laughter from the audience.

📌 What You Need to Know

“These people are low-level thinkers. Will a chicken refuse to get into an elevator? Don’t all these people living in high-rise apartments eat chicken? How is it brought up there?”

The President also took issue with calls by some opposition figures to abolish the affordable housing programme.

He questioned where the young people employed through the programme would find work if the scheme were scrapped.

“You hear someone saying that they will come and abolish housing. Where will the 1.1 million young people working in the affordable housing programme go to work?” Ruto asked.

Ruto said criticism of the housing programme had no basis, arguing that the initiative was creating jobs while providing homes for Kenyans.

He also defended the mandatory housing levy, saying workers had received salary increases that, according to him, offset the deductions.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya