Safina Party leader Jimi Wanjigi has issued a passionate call for a nationwide civic awakening, warning that Kenya is spiraling deeper into a financial crisis driven by unchecked public debt and government mismanagement.
Speaking during a Bunge La Wananchi session at Jeevanjee Gardens on May 9, 2025, Wanjigi accused successive administrations of bankrupting the country while burdening future generations with unsustainable debt. Using data and references to constitutional provisions, he painted a grim picture of the nation’s economic health.
“We have been robbed of our lives and our future,” Wanjigi declared, as he broke down the numbers behind his concerns.
According to Wanjigi, between 2013 and 2023, the government collected Ksh13.3 trillion in taxes but spent Ksh14.6 trillion—leaving a deficit of Ksh1.3 trillion. However, he revealed that the government borrowed a staggering Ksh7.7 trillion during the same period. He questioned the whereabouts of the Ksh6.4 trillion excess, alleging it never passed through official channels like the Central Bank or the Controller of Budget.
“That money never went into the Central Bank of Kenya. Instead, it went straight into people’s pockets—Ksh6.4 trillion, or about USD 50 billion,” he told the crowd.
The businessman warned that Kenya is now caught in a vicious debt trap, spending over Ksh2 trillion each year on loan repayments. He warned that this figure could balloon to Ksh3.2 trillion by 2038 if unchecked.
Wanjigi criticized the government’s priorities, arguing that this mounting debt has left critical sectors like education and healthcare chronically underfunded.
“With Ksh2 trillion, we could fully fund universal education and healthcare for all Kenyans at a cost of just Ksh344 billion,” he noted.
Kenya Now Servicing Stolen Debt From a Decade of Corruption
He pointed to Chapter 12 and Article 220 of the Constitution, which require that all public borrowing be used strictly for development—not to cover routine costs like salaries or fuel.
“This is not just a financial issue—it is theft of our future. The debt we are servicing today was stolen yesterday. We are paying in advance for corruption,” Wanjigi said.
He urged lawmakers and citizens to reject what he called an unsustainable economic trajectory and instead demand transparency, accountability, and adherence to the Constitution.
“If this is not enough for a revolution, I don’t know what is. This country is being run on loans taken to pay salaries and fuel police vehicles, not to build schools or hospitals,” he said.
Calling for a new era of economic justice, Wanjigi rallied Kenyans to rise up.
“We fought for political freedom. Now it’s time to fight for economic freedom,” he declared, saluting Gen Z activists as the front line of this movement.
“We must stand up. We must say no. The future of this country depends on it,” he concluded.
