NAIROBI, Kenya May 1 – President William Ruto has announced a reduction in the deposit required for affordable housing units.The President says salaried workers will now pay 5 percent of the unit’s value, down from the previous 10 percent.He has also called on the Central Organisation of Trade Unions, COTU, and its affiliate unions to mobilise members to register on the Boma Yangu platform and apply for available housing categories.“Where there are specific cases of workers who have applied and not been served, bring them forward and we will resolve them,” he said. The President thanked workers for supporting the government’s transformative programmes, including affordable housing, education, and health.“On this Labour Day, I say thank you to every Kenyan worker for not only believing in our country, but also for actively building it, sustaining it, and shaping its future,” he said. On healthcare, the President said the government is continuing to fine-tune the Social Health Authority (SHA) to serve Kenyans even better. As a result, he announced the withdrawal of restrictive tariff mechanisms that have caused unintended challenges, including the temporary outpatient caps initially introduced to safeguard the fund’s sustainability. He said ongoing negotiations will culminate in updated agreements that guarantee a seamless, zero co-payment, “walk-in, walk-out” experience for all public officers.The President emphasised that his administration will continue defending the rights of workers to fair labour practices as enshrined in the Constitution.He pointed out that Kenya will soon complete the ratification of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers and ILO Convention No. 190 on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work.On development projects in Vihiga, President Ruto said the government is investing KSh15 billion in affordable housing projects, markets and student hostels in the county. He said construction of the KSh900 Kidundu Stadium in Vihiga would soon begin, explaining that the government had paid KSh90 million to land owners affected by the project. President Ruto urged Kenyans to ignore negative headlines about the country, saying demonstrable progress has been made in his administration.“The noise may command attention, but it cannot, and it will never, change reality. Because the true story of a nation is not told in sponsored headlines; it is written in the daily actions of citizens like the 30.8 million Kenyans who have registered with SHA, and the thousands who continue to do so daily,” he said.