Reuben Kigame, leader of the Jenga Mkenya Movement, has outlined a bold seven-point strategy aimed at pulling Kenya out of its worsening debt crisis. Addressing a packed press conference in Nairobi, Kigame called for a total overhaul of how the country manages public finances and demanded accountability for past borrowing.
“Kenya’s debt problem is not just an economic issue — it’s a moral crisis,” Kigame said. “We cannot continue to mortgage the future of generations to come without asking hard questions.”
At the heart of his proposal is a demand for transparency and justice. Kigame’s first recommendation is to identify who borrowed the money, why it was borrowed, and how it was spent. He called for swift and harsh action against individuals found to have misappropriated public funds, arguing that deterrence is crucial in preventing future misuse.
The second point in Kigame’s plan involves tracing and recovering stolen public funds hidden in offshore accounts. “We must repatriate what was looted. That money belongs to the Kenyan people,” he asserted.
Kigame also urged the government to leverage Kenya’s untapped natural resources by nationalizing and utilizing mineral wealth to pay down national debts. This, he said, would reduce dependency on foreign loans.
“We must stop borrowing for consumption,” he emphasized, proposing that Kenya only borrow funds for projects that are economically viable and capable of returning value to the country. He warned that any further unsustainable borrowing would plunge the country into deeper financial turmoil.
To bolster the economy, Kigame stressed the need to industrialize and increase production and exports, noting that a productive economy is the only long-term solution to debt.
He further advocated for fiscal discipline, urging the government to adopt a “live-within-our-means” approach. “Kenya must operate on a lean budget and spend only what it can afford,” Kigame said.
Finally, he called on the government to restructure and renegotiate existing debts. He suggested that Kenya could seek debt cancellation in exchange for offering certain services, such as environmental conservation or regional peacekeeping initiatives.
Kigame’s proposals come at a time when Kenya’s public debt has surpassed KSh 12 trillion, raising alarm among economists and international lenders. His remarks are likely to spark debate ahead of upcoming political and economic forums, as the nation grapples with a future burdened by debt.
Whether his recommendations will gain traction in Parliament or within President Ruto’s administration remains to be seen. However, one thing is clear: the Jenga Mkenya Movement is pushing for a new conversation on Kenya’s economic sovereignty.
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