Court of Appeal has once again declined to extend order on collection of the controversial housing levy.
The Court of Appeal, on Friday January 26, barred the government from deducting housing levy from Kenyans.
A three-judge bench of the appellate court Justices Lydia Achode, John Mativo and Gatembu Kairu ruled that the levy, which has received widespread opposition from many Kenyans, remains suspended as declared by the High Court.
“Public interest tilts in favour of awaiting the determination of the issues raised in the intended appeals,” they said.
The High Court judges noted that it is unfair to impose the levy especially on payslip Kenyans while excluding workers in the informal sector. Government will deduct 1.5% of payslip workers’ gross pay matched by another 1.5% by the employer, should the controversial levy be effected.
Government sought for extension to execute the levy at a time when Kenya has about 3.2 million people in formal employment and about 15.9 in the informal sector.
