Moses Kuria has criticized Government Spokesperson Cyrus Mwaura for expressing confusion over monthly deductions for the Social Health Insurance (SHA) and Affordable Housing levies.
The controversy followed a recent interview Mwaura gave to Inooro FM on Thursday, September 18, where he admitted he was unsure about the amounts deducted from citizens’ salaries for the two government programs. Mwaura also struggled to explain why individuals cannot use their monthly deductions as deposits for purchasing houses under the Affordable Housing initiative.
“I am not sure which deducts more money than the other. I’ll have to consult because I do not want to feed you the wrong information,” Mwaura said during the interview.
In response, Kuria argued that, given his position, Mwaura should be well-informed about such critical government programs. He further stated that the spokesperson’s admission of confusion calls into question his suitability for the role.
“The Government Spokesman does not know how much the deductions for SHA and Housing Levy are. He says he is confused about which is which,” Kuria said.
Kuria also called on radio host Nderitu Waihura to invite Mwaura for a follow-up interview once he has clarified the details, emphasizing the need for public transparency. “I beseech my friend Nderitu Waihura to invite him again once he establishes exactly how much Kenyans are being deducted for the two levies,” he added.
The Affordable Housing Project and SHA are among President William Ruto’s flagship initiatives launched shortly after he assumed office three years ago. The programs have faced scrutiny over their implementation and costs. President Ruto, however, has consistently defended them, citing alignment with his Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which emphasizes development at the grassroots level.
As debates continue over transparency and public understanding of these programs, the pressure mounts on government officials to clearly communicate how these deductions work and how citizens can benefit
