‘PhD holder but slow learner’ – Sifuna tells off Ruto over Affordable Housing programme

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has harshly criticized President William Ruto's Affordable Housing programme. On September 13, 2026, while addressing a political rally in Nairobi, Sifuna argued that the growing informal settlements in the city cannot be solved by simply building more houses. He contended that the underlying issue is residents' income levels and accused Ruto of being slow to understand this economic reality, stating, "He is not a fast learner, he needs to learn slowly."

Instead of focusing on housing supply, Sifuna framed the debate around increasing household incomes. He asserted that the slums in Nairobi are an income problem, not a housing issue. The opposition leader emphasized that increasing residents' disposable income would enable them to afford better housing. Sifuna rejected the idea that constructing housing units alone would eliminate the informal settlements, citing Mathare, Mukuru kwa Njenga, and Kibera as examples of slums that existed even before Ruto became President.

He challenged Ruto to name a single informal settlement in Nairobi that has been cleared due to his government's housing projects.