- Nickson Andere Asitwa, popularly known as Nicki Bigfish, is a leading prankster in Kenya.
- The comedian is well-known for his daring street stunts, often putting himself in risky situations to entertain his fans.
- After President Ruto launched the new Mukuru Estate with 1080 housing units, the comedian took to the streets, looking for the mysterious new homeowners.
- His latest exploit follows shocking media reports that only one occupant moved into the newly constructed Mukuru estate in Nairobi.
- With his signature humor and wit, Mr. Bigfish approached random Kenyans in the streets to establish if they had benefited from the project.
Nicki Bigfish Forcefully Declares Nairobi Residents Homeowners Amid Objections
In his playful nature, Nicki Bigfish presumed his interviewees were new homeowners, diving straight into questions about the size of their supposed housing units.
Although the unsuspecting men denied receiving any government housing, Mr. Bigfish, posing as a mock reporter, cheerfully declared them proud new homeowners.
“Ladies and gentlemen, with me are the proud new beneficiaries of the government’s affordable housing units,” he announces, before turning to the first man and asking, “So, how many bedrooms does yours have?”
The man denies benefiting, with two other men standing nearby also asserting that they have not seen the alleged houses.
One of them explains that his only home is back in his rural village, a statement Mr. Bigfish hilariously twists as evidence that he’s an affordable housing beneficiary.
The humorous engagement with city residents highlights the murky details surrounding the government’s affordable housing project.
The Cracks in Ruto’s Housing Dream
Ruto’s housing agenda has been shrouded in mystery from day one, with many Kenyans struggling to figure out how it works.
Despite multiple efforts by the government to clarify the housing levy and ownership arrangements, the program remains widely unpopular nationwide.
Recent media reports have poked holes in recent projects, including the new Mukuru Estate, further raising apprehension around the issue.
The media covered the event as 1,080 units were launched with great pomp and color, showing jubilant homeowners listening to the president from their balconies.
Two days later, the media returned to the site to see how the new homeowners were settling in. The country was stunned to discover that only one family had moved in, occupying just a single unit within the entire compound.
This raised questions about the whereabouts and authenticity of the remaining beneficiaries.
To quell the growing scandal, the government swiftly clarified that the official move-in date was June 1, 2025.
Meanwhile, speculation intensified that some of the named beneficiaries were not actual residents of the Mukuru slums.
The Contentious Housing Levy
Amid all the controversy, the Housing Levy remains the biggest elephant in the room.
Introduced as part of the Finance Act 2023, the levy mandates a 1.5% deduction from both employees and employers, aimed at funding affordable housing initiatives.
The levy faced legal challenges, with the High Court declaring it unconstitutional in November 2023, citing discrimination against informal sector workers and a lack of a comprehensive legal framework.
Despite this ruling, the government continued to collect the levy under a stay order until January 2024.
Subsequent legal suits saw the Court of Appeal uphold the High Court’s decision, leading to a suspension of the levy collection.
In response, the government appealed to the Supreme Court, which overturned the lower courts’ rulings, reinstating the levy and allowing its continuation.
This legal back-and-forth has intensified public debate over the fairness and transparency of the housing levy, reflecting broader concerns about the taxation policies of the Kenya Kwanza government.
Mr. Bigfish labels it “Avoidable Housing,” perhaps due to its opaque nature and needless complexity.