Jimmy Wanjigi, a prominent Kenyan opposition figure and former presidential aspirant, has alleged that a significant portion of Kenya’s national debt is “odious” and should not be repaid.
In an interview with Citizen TV, Wanjigi argued that much of the country’s debt was illegally acquired and not used for the benefit of citizens, citing successful debt challenges in countries like Mozambique as precedent.
“This is not a debt for us to pay. It never came to our benefit. It was not within our laws and cannot be apportioned and put to anything on our budgets because it was never there,” Wanjigi stated during the interview.
The Safina party leader’s claims come at a time when Kenya’s public debt stands at approximately KES 11 trillion, according to recent government figures. Wanjigi contends that a substantial portion of this debt, particularly domestic debt and Eurobonds, was acquired without proper constitutional approval and parliamentary oversight.
Wanjigi pointed to Mozambique’s successful challenge of the $2 billion “tuna bond” scandal in 2019 as an example of how countries can contest allegedly illegal debt. “They won that case in their constitutional court. They were up against parliament and an executive, and it was declared odious,” he said.
The opposition figure’s debt allegations form part of a broader critique of Kenya’s current economic situation and the government’s handling of it. Wanjigi expressed strong opposition to the recent formation of a broad-based government, which has seen some opposition figures join the administration of President William Ruto.
“William Ruto wants everybody to be in his sinking ship so that the masses do not have an alternative voice,” Wanjigi claimed. He argued that this political reconfiguration would not address the economic challenges facing ordinary Kenyans.
In a startling accusation, Wanjigi suggested that international lenders and local banks might be colluding with the government in perpetuating the debt crisis. “They are definitely in collusion, 100% in collusion,” he stated, questioning why these institutions continue to lend despite what he sees as clear violations of Kenya’s financial laws.
Wanjigi proposed a radical solution to the debt issue, calling for an immediate cessation of debt payments. “I would cut off the chain of debt… and that frees up government money to be able to provide services to Kenyans and stimulate the economy by taking money back to the people,” he explained.
The former presidential aspirant also criticized the current administration’s economic policies, arguing that they are simultaneously worsening inflation and recession. “William Ruto says I’ve brought down the cost of things, so he’s brought down inflation. Easiest thing to do, just remove money supply… But what do you do? You accelerate the already recession that is there,” Wanjigi stated.
He contended that the debt burden is preventing effective economic solutions, leaving the government with limited options. “William Ruto seeks to raise taxation because his taxes are going to debt. So no matter what the scenario, unless we remove that chain, there is no light,” Wanjigi argued.
In a surprising turn, Wanjigi hinted at a plan to trigger elections before 2027, based on his interpretation of Article 1 of the Kenyan Constitution. However, he declined to provide specifics, stating that some elements still need to play out in court.
“We have drawn up a script, a script following the constitution of this land, Article 1, 2, and 3, that will bring an election before 2027,” Wanjigi revealed, though he remained tight-lipped about the details.
