Summary:
Business magnate Jimi Wanjigi delivers a stern caution to President William Ruto, highlighting the looming threat of public unrest due to taxation concerns. With a 3-month ultimatum, Wanjigi urges urgent reforms to avert potential revolt and address citizens’ grievances.
At the PCEA Mama Ngina grounds in Kikuyu Constituency, Kiambu County, Jimi Wanjigi, the 2022 presidential candidate for Safina party, issued a powerful warning to President William Ruto. Wanjigi expressed deep concern over the government’s taxing approach and punitive policies, emphasizing the adverse effects on the lives of Kenyans.
Wanjigi’s words were unequivocal: “Mjue wanannchi wanaumia, na kama hamtarekebisha….msicheze na wananchi. Sisi sio panya ya kukanyaga…sisi ni binadamu” (Understand that citizens are suffering, and if you don’t make corrections…don’t play with the people. We are not mice to be trampled upon…we are human beings.).
Highlighting the impact on local residents, he added, “Hamuwezi kila siku mnaamka mnatuumiza, na ni watu wa hapa ambao wanaumia zaidi…na watu wa hapa ndio waliweka nyinyi. January 2024 mumepatiwa the truth, mko na miezi tatu, kama hamtabadilisha hii mwenendo…haya” (You cannot wake up every day hurting us, and it’s the people here who suffer the most…and it’s the people here who put you in power…).
Wanjigi’s message serves as a call for urgent reform, setting a three-month deadline for the government to address citizens’ grievances and revise its taxing policies. The ultimatum carries the weight of potential nationwide protests if the current tax regime remains unchanged, highlighting the pressing need for a policy shift to prevent unrest and ease the financial burden on the people.