Safina Party leader Jimi Wanjigi has rejected the alternative budget put forward by the United Opposition, calling it essentially a replica of President William Ruto's current fiscal policies. The former presidential candidate has instead introduced what he describes as a "compromise budget" aimed at ending excessive borrowing, unfair taxation, and poor spending priorities.

Taking a stand against the opposition coalition, Wanjigi expressed disappointment with the so-called "People's Budget" presented by the United Alternative Government last week, stating it fails to meet the needs of ordinary Kenyans. Speaking on Monday, he pointed out that the opposition's proposal still relies on taxation, borrowing, and mounting debt—much like the official budget tabled by Treasury CS John Mbadi.

Wanjigi criticized the plan led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, arguing it would do little to improve daily life for Kenyans and offers no real departure from the current administration's approach. While the "People's Budget" emphasizes education, healthcare, job creation, and cost-of-living relief while aiming to reduce the fiscal deficit, Wanjigi urged opposition leaders to do their homework. "Kalonzo Musyoka and my colleagues, stop disappointing us. You cannot champion the same policies as this regime. Your proposals won't change people's lives. Shape up," he said.

Under his alternative vision, Wanjigi proposed scrapping VAT and introducing a five per cent sales tax instead—a move he claims would put roughly Sh300 billion back into citizens' pockets. Kenya currently collects over Sh660 billion annually from VAT, with about half coming from domestic sources and the rest from imports.

He also advocated for an end to domestic borrowing, citing high interest rates of up to 10 per cent, and suggested cheaper external loans as a better option. "Safina will never borrow from the domestic market again. We cannot afford more debt. Our balance sheet is stretched, and everyone knows we are bankrupt as a nation," he stated.

Wanjigi further proposed abolishing the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF)—which he claimed consumes Sh180 billion yearly—and replacing it with free universal healthcare accessible through a national ID. However, official data from the Kenya Economic Survey 2026 shows SHIF spent Sh91.5 billion in the 2024/2025 fiscal year against contributions of Sh57.7 billion.

He also called for free education from primary through secondary and technical levels, arguing that timely funding would eliminate extra costs for parents. According to Wanjigi, these three measures could free up as much as Sh800 billion, boosting household incomes and driving annual economic growth to between six and ten per cent.

On the national debt, Wanjigi said he would refuse to repay what he termed "odious debts" incurred by the current government, noting that debt service payments are projected to hit Sh2.3 trillion by June 2027. Kenya's total public debt currently stands at Sh12.84 trillion as of February 2025. He accused the government of paying illegal debts while being complicit in creating them, challenging officials to stop repaying debts from the Uhuru Kenyatta era if they truly oppose the system.

He described CS Mbadi's Sh4.82 trillion budget as oppressive and overly focused on debt repayment rather than development, arguing it violates Article 220 of the Constitution by borrowing to fund recurrent expenditures. Wanjigi also claimed the government has not been transparent about existing debts or their repayment schedules.

"Every budget is now built around paying creditors, not improving the lives of citizens. This isn't a development budget—it's a debt repayment scheme," he said.

Wanjigi urged Kenyans and MPs to reject the Finance Bill, noting it introduces new taxes despite earlier promises of relief. "The CS promised a budget that would ease taxation. That hasn't happened, and we all know why," he added.

He also expressed openness to working with any political group that offers a concrete plan to eliminate domestic debt, stressing his commitment to genuine transformation rather than superficial change. "I am pushing for real change in this country—not just change for the sake of it, but a true agenda for transformation," he concluded.