William Ruto Gives Jua Kali Artisans KSh 140m Affordable Housing Tender

• William Ruto said he is committed to rejuvenating the construction product manufacturing
• He announced that a company of Jua Kali artisans had landed a KSh 140 million tender to supply doors and windows for the housing projects
• He announced intentions to double the number of Kenyans working in the housing programme by March next year

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, leverages more than three years of expertise in financial, business, and technology research, providing profound insights into both Kenyan and global economic trends.

President William Ruto has announced that he gave a KSh 140 million tender to jua kali artisans working along Ngong' road, Nairobi.

Addressing the Diaspora Investment Conference at KICC on December 13, Ruto announced that the group would contribute materials for the affordable housing units, emphasising that the affordable housing plan aims to invigorate the ecosystem of construction product manufacturing.

"We will stimulate the whole ecosystem of manufacturing of construction products. Recently, I was given a cheque for KSh 140 million to...You know those fellows on Ngong' road making furniture. Those fellows nowadays are entrepreneurs," said Ruto.

They are doing for us doors, they are doing for us windows, and they are now a company for our housing plan," added Ruto.

Job opportunities for Kenyans

Ruto stated that in just the last eight months, 120,000 Kenyans, who would otherwise be jobless, have been working in the housing programme in various capacities, such as factories that manufacture cement and steel, engineers, plumbers, technicians, and labourers.

"My intention is that we are going to double these numbers by March next year and triple them by the end of next year, and in five years, we will have half a million Kenyans working, and the whole country will be a bustling construction site," said Ruto.

Affordable Housing Project is here to stay

In other related news, the president reiterated his commitment to implementing the affordable housing plan, calling out those opposing the implementation as lacking the courage to make necessary decisions.

Ruto claimed the opposition leaders opposed the housing levy because they only wanted to discuss it during campaigns but were afraid to implement it.

"This beautiful project was in the manifesto for Kenya Kwanza. The same housing project, complete with the percentages of the levy, was also in the Azimio manifesto. But when it comes to implementation, that is where the devil lives. Nobody wants it implemented; people want to talk about it when hardly anyone means it," Ruto said.