Nairobi News

Jimmy Wanjigi, a 2022 presidential aspirant, is of the opinion that Kenya should not have to repay debts that were unlawfully taken to cater for impossible revenue targets.

Speaking on June 20, 2023, during a live interview on Citizen TV, the political strategist claimed foreign financial agencies that loan money to Kenya had lined up collaborators to economically oppress Kenyans since independence to date.

“This is our final liberation we must get rid of the shackles that are tying us down economically and these shackles have been there since pre-independence. This is the last Liberation so when you talk to me about all these foreigners don’t be fooled. There is no Gabriel Angel here. All of them are either perfect or they want us weak. It is to their benefit when we are not strong. It has been proven over time. Now what has happened is that they have gotten their local collaborators, what long time ago in the slave trade there used to be called house n*ggers.

They’ve got their local collaborators who have participated in our oppression, economically, for a benefit up here. This is now the time we must say no more… this debt even we do not owe it The Sovereign does not owe it and we must say no to it and that is the beginning of our march to economic freedom,” began Mr Wanjigi.

He went on to say that the only way Kenya would be freed was if President William Ruto refused to repay debts unconstitutionally taken or else he would become the owner of those debts.

“Let me use this opportunity to address the head of the Executive because the pressure will come from there. President William Ruto has up to date not signed warrants, as we are talking today, he has the greatest opportunity to change the destiny of this nation by refusing to pay what has been taken and unlawfully as debt. The day he signs the warrants, he becomes that onus, that odious debt goes to him. So he has that opportunity and my advice to him today is President William Ruto, do not sign the warrants that go to debt that has been unconstitutionally taken otherwise you become the owner

Now if he does not, he would not pressurize the same Parliament. This is a golden opportunity to get rid of something that is plaguing even his government …why he’s coming back to us with more and more problems with taxation is because of this problem. Then I would advise that we as a country must start looking at different solutions to the way we operate,” added Mr Wanjigi.

He said the government must move from demand side economics in which it is seen as the driver of growth and needing impossible revenue targets to achieve projects and move to supply side economics in which the private sector is the driver of growth and employment; and the government that is less in people’s lives with projects and either borrowing or increasing taxes to get the money.

According to the Parliament of Kenya, as of April 29, 2023, Kenya has a public debt of 9.4 trillion, just shy of the Sh 10 trillion limit. Currently, the government is debating proposed taxes which seek to either impose new or increase old taxes to generate revenue and enable government facilitate their projects including building hundreds of thousands of affordable homes.

According to Parliament of Kenya records, by April 29, 2023, Kenya had a public debt of 9.4 trillion, just shy of the Sh 10 trillion limit. Currently, the government is debating proposed taxes which seek to either impose new or increase old taxes to generate revenue and enable government facilitate their projects including building hundreds of thousands of affordable homes.

Since getting into office, despite promising to not borrow like his predecessor, President Ruto’s government has borrowed Sh 219.16 billion in nine months. Economists believe that repaying these debts will prove difficult.

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