Safina Party leader Jimi Wanjigi challenged both the government and opposition leaders to move past political slogans and explain clearly how they plan to improve Kenyans’ lives. He said debates over whether President William Ruto should serve one term or two terms cannot, on their own, solve the country’s problems.
Wanjigi said he supports opposition efforts to make Ruto a one-term president. However, he insisted that Kenyans should require real, practical solutions from anyone seeking to replace the current administration.
“Hawa watu wa one term niko na wao, lakini waulize watafanya nini. Wakenya wataishi namna gani?” Wanjigi said during a town hall meeting in Mombasa.
He also questioned what will happen after the current administration leaves office. He warned that leaders can swap in and out without a clear plan, leaving Kenyans to face the same difficulties again.
“One term, two term, then what? If you remove President William Ruto, what will happen after that? If you remove him and replace him with someone just like him, are you also not going to cry again, saying one term?” he asked.
Wanjigi argued that Kenya’s political conversation often relies on campaign slogans that never translate into meaningful change for ordinary people.
He said the 2022 election framed the country as a contest between “hustlers” and “dynasties,” with promises that ordinary Kenyans’ interests would take priority.
“Ilikuwa mwenye hana pesa na mwenye ako nayo, lakini saa hii imebadilika. Yule mwenye hana anaendelea kulia,” he said.
He added that many Kenyans who backed the hustler narrative now feel let down by the economy and the rising cost of living.
“Are you not the hustlers who are now crying, saying you were lied to?” he asked the audience.
Wanjigi said the most important issue is not political chants but the policies leaders plan to implement after they get elected.
“When they come here selling one term, ask them what they will do. And do not accept to be lied to anymore because if you accept, you will be alone crying,” he said.
The Safina Party leader used the forum to outline some of his proposals. He said he would abolish the 16% Value Added Tax (VAT) and replace it with a 5% sales tax.
He argued that cutting the tax burden would reduce the price of goods and ease pressure on households and businesses.
Wanjigi also pledged to make secondary school and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) free if he becomes president. He said every child should access education regardless of a family’s financial situation.
Wanjigi said voters should assess leaders not just by how they attack opponents, but by the practical solutions they offer to tackle unemployment, the high cost of living, education, and economic opportunities.
He added that Kenyans should focus on the bigger question: not who should occupy State House next, but what policies will change citizens’ lives once election slogans fade.