Sifuna fires back at Ruto as affordable housing clash escalates
Sifuna has been on a hot political ticket lately with their Linda Mwananchi making inroads and being visible when opposition parties like Kalonzo’s WPF and Martha Karua with her PLP are dead quiet leaving the scene for Rigathi Gachagua as the only visible opposition leader.
Now all of a sudden Senator Sifuna says one of the dumbest things any political leader seeking any attention in the country can possibly say which is to demand that poor people in rural areas do not need and cannot afford high rise affordable housing because they need to sleep in the same place as their chickens and the chicken cannot make it to the 12th floor.
In the news today, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna responded to President William Ruto’s criticism of his remarks on the Affordable Housing Programme.
Senator Sifuna reacted on Thursday through his social media platforms, hours after the President criticized comments he made about high-rise affordable housing during an interview on Mulembe FM.
The latest remarks add to an ongoing political exchange over one of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s flagship programmes.
During the radio interview on July 22, Sifuna questioned the suitability of multi-storey affordable housing developments for some communities.
“As people from the western Region, we cannot live in places where our chicken cannot enter. How will our chicken get to the 12th floor of an affordable housing unit?” Sifuna said.
Speaking at State House during a meeting with more than 5,000 artisans and mechanics from Nairobi County on Thursday, Ruto dismissed the remarks as he defended the government’s housing agenda.
“So you are telling us not to build affordable houses because your chicken cannot get to the 12th floor? I have said it before, there are people without brains. How do you even say something like that?” the President said.
Ruto maintained that the Affordable Housing Programme is intended to address Kenya’s housing shortage while creating employment opportunities and improving living conditions.
The President also accused some of his political opponents of ridiculing government programmes instead of presenting alternative policy proposals.
Sifuna later responded with a brief post that read: “Ku argue na mimi mambo ya kuku ni kama ku argue na Methu mambo ya waru.”
Edwin Sfuna owes an apology to his own community for belittling them by claiming that they are only fit to live in huts in the village where they can keep their one or two chickens as the basis of their lives.
Sifuna should forget about President Ruto and he is free to criticize anything about the Affordable Housing but do not turn against affordable housing for your people who live in terrible conditions when you as Senator is living large in big homes paid for by the same government in Nairobi. At least Sifuna can afford to live in his mansion without chicken in his sitting and bedrooms.
In fact leaders like Sifuna should be looking into ways to supplement affordable housing and if people need structures built for them to keep their chicken that is good and those people can also operate chicken farms around their buildings instead of keeping two under their chairs at home.
Instead of whining about who needs to talk about “chicken” and “waru” Sifuna just has to admit he made a blunder and visit Affordable Housing sites and see for himself what is being done and how Kenyans are responding to that and that could help him. In Kenya politicians have to say something every minute so as to be somewhere in the media. Sometimes that is going to mean some silly mistakes. Just deal with that and let Ruto deal with his own issues.
Please Sifuna can you talk with your governor and the other politicians hoping to get in office in your home area to help local folks set up chicken farming facilities. It is way better than carrying your chicken to the 12th floor. Tell your local MPs to use the CDF money to help village folks set up these farms and everybody will be happy with the results. Try it and see for yourself.
Ruto, Sifuna trade words over Affordable Housing Programme in Western Kenya
The crazy statement came after Sifuna was questioned whether 12-storey housing units suited the lifestyle of communities in the region.
Ruto dismisses Sifuna’s remarks
“They have built 12-storey affordable housing units in Funyula. We Luhyas cannot live in a place where our chickens cannot. Tell me, boss, how will your chicken get to the 12th floor?” Sifuna said.
The President dismissed the argument and accused opponents of ridiculing government projects instead of presenting alternatives.
“There are people telling us that Kenyans should continue living in slums simply because a chicken cannot be taken to the 15th floor. Do these people really have any sense?” Ruto said.
He said the government would continue constructing affordable houses despite criticism from political leaders.
Below are the affordable homes being built in Funyula in Busia County under President Ruto’s Affordable Housing project and they are moving up with the work.
Does Edwin Sifuna want these buildings underway in the affordable housing project be demolished in a place like Funyula where he thinks people just need huts to live in with their chicken?
Has Sifuna talked to the residents in Funyula to find out what they think and expect from the affordable housing being built right around them?
Kenyans know politicians don’t ask any questions from them because those politicians think they know everything even when they make just pretty sad statements like what Sifuna said and is now fighting to defend.
Edwin Sifuna himself lives in Sh. 900 million bungalow in Bungoma where he took some time to show off to his political friends recently. How many folks in Bungoma live in the same homes as Sifuna from the pictures they took at that Bungalow in Bungoma? That would be less than 1% of the people down there in Bungoma and Sifuna wants them to stay like that for the sake of their chicken.
One thing for sure, there was not a single chicken in Sifuna’s huge mansion in Bungoma. That is for peasants down there who live in a different planet from their politicians including the Sifunas who are fighting for human rights which supposedly includes descent housing for all.
Adongo Ogony is a Human Rights Activist and a Writer who lives in Toronto, Canada
