Jimmy Wanjigi: Ruto has created a 'fake economy' built on debt and excessive taxation

The Safina Party leader, Jimi Wanjigi, during an interview with The Standard and KTN at Kwacha Place, Nairobi, in June 2026.[Benard Orwongo, Standard]

Safina Party leader and 2027 presidential aspirant Jimmy Wanjigi has accused President William Ruto’s administration of presiding over a “fake economy” in which impressive macroeconomic figures mask the worsening financial struggles facing ordinary Kenyans and businesses.

Wanjigi, who has positioned himself as a tax justice crusader ahead of the 2027 General Election, said the country was facing a deeper economic crisis driven by excessive taxation, declining household purchasing power, high public debt, weak domestic liquidity and an increasingly hostile business environment.