A fierce war of words has broken out between Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and President William Ruto over the government's Affordable Housing Programme, with the senator questioning whether multi-storey apartment blocks are suitable for Kenya's traditional communities.
During a radio interview on July 22, Sifuna raised concerns about the practicality of the housing initiative, particularly for rural areas and his own Luhya community in the Western region.
He argued that high-rise residential units do not fit with the lifestyle and cultural practices of these communities, saying the model is simply not suitable for his people.
Taking a humorous approach to his criticism, Sifuna joked about how locals would struggle with the new housing design. He pointed out that keeping livestock, particularly chicken, is an important part of life for Western region residents, and questioned how anyone would manage to raise chicken in a 12-storey apartment building.
The criticism did not go down well with the government and the ruling coalition. Orange Democratic Movement Secretary General Catherine Omanyo hit back at Sifuna, warning him against undermining the housing initiative.
She insisted that the Affordable Housing Programme is a genuine effort to improve living standards for millions of Kenyans by providing decent homes to families across the country.
Omanyo dismissed Sifuna's concerns as exaggerated, saying that the senator was downplaying an important national project simply because of cultural worries in the Western part of Kenya.
President Ruto himself joined the fray, strongly rejecting Sifuna's arguments. The Head of State described the senator's position as absurd and lacking any sense of good judgment. In a stinging rebuke, Ruto questioned how a nation could fail to build affordable housing because some people kept chicken in their homes.
"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," Ruto said bluntly.
Refusing to back down, Sifuna took to social media platform X to fire back at his critics. He reminded them that his community has a well-known background in keeping poultry and referenced Nyandara Senator John Methu's association with potato farming to make a pointed comparison. Sifuna suggested that arguing with him about chicken was like trying to argue with Methu about potatoes.
Meanwhile, ODM leaders rallied behind President Ruto's broader government coalition. At a meeting at Pawa Centre in Nairobi, leaders including George Aladwa and Peter Orero praised the inclusive nature of the current administration. They also took aim at the opposition, urging DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua to move away from tribal politics.
The political figures expressed their support for President Ruto's anticipated re-election bid in 2027, with Orero declaring that the ODM remained united behind the broad-based government.
The escalating dispute highlights the growing tension between the President and Sifuna over the Affordable Housing initiative, a flagship government programme that has become a point of political disagreement at the highest levels.
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