President William Ruto addressed members of the Quaker Church at State House Nairobi on August 3, emphasizing that affordable housing, alongside healthcare and education, is not only a constitutional right but also a biblical obligation.
During the engagement, Ruto drew a parallel between Matthew 25:31–45 and Article 43 of the Kenyan Constitution, which guarantees economic and social rights such as housing, health, food, and education for all Kenyans.
He urged the congregation to read the Gospel of Matthew, stating, "When I was hungry... when I had no house, I did not know whether you planned affordable housing. Go and read." The president insisted that biblical teachings and constitutional rights are intertwined, saying, "Matthew 25 is the same as Constitution Article 43. They go together."
Ruto also expressed confidence that Kenya is on a path to economic recovery since he assumed office in 2022 and assured that divine intervention would transform the country.
Criticism of the Affordable Housing Program
The president's remarks come amid ongoing criticism of his flagship affordable housing initiative. Opposition leaders, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, have raised concerns about the program’s implementation and the funding mechanism through a housing levy.
Sifuna notably criticized the project’s accessibility, highlighting that youths injured during protests—following Ruto's directive to police to shoot in the legs to curb violence—could not access the housing units.
