Former Deputy President Geoffrey Rigathi Gachagua today praised COTU Secretary-general Francis Atwoli for raising alarm on the diversion of the Housing Levy Fund.
Speaking at the Jesus Celebration Center church in Malindi on Sunday 8 June, 2025, Gachagua said the usually vocal Atwoli had been silent for too long and it was now a relief to see him gain his voice again.
“We are thankful to see that Atwoli has spoken; he had been very silent. Now he has opened his eyes, and we hope he opens them fully because over at the NSSF, where he is a trustee, workers’ retirement money has been diverted to build the Bomas of Kenya, which is a private project belonging to individuals who are there and in the government. NSSF money is being taken to build the Rironi–Mau Summit road,” said Gachagua.
He expressed fears that the NSSF kitty was being diverted to fund construction attributed to senior government officials within Bomas of Kenya.
“So, we want you, Mr Atwoli, since you have spoken about housing issues; we would also like to hear your voice on why NSSF money is being taken contrary to the law to fund projects like Bomas of Kenya and the Mau Summit–Rironi road.”
Earlier on the COTU Secretary-general had raised concern that worker’s contributions to the Affordable Housing scheme were being redirected to non-housing projects and in the process threatening to derail the programme’s core objective.
“We are clear and unequivocal that there was no consultation because if there were any, we would never have agreed to the affordable housing levy being used to build amenities and infrastructure that are already budgeted for within the National Budget,” Atwoli said categorically.
Atwoli warned that if the trend continues unchecked, the housing levy could end up funding large-scale government projects like roads and dams, leaving workers without the homes they were promised.
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