Deputy Party Leader of the Justice and Freedom Party (JFP), Reuben Kigame, has strongly criticized President William Ruto’s administration for seeking further loans from China to fund railway infrastructure, calling the move “retrogressive” and a pathway to deeper national debt and economic enslavement.
Speaking during a press briefing, Kigame expressed deep concern over Kenya’s growing dependence on foreign lenders such as China, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. He proposed an alternative path—mobilizing Kenyans in the diaspora to fund and manage large-scale national projects.
“Kenyans in the diaspora don’t exist just to pay bills and school fees back at home. That mindset is an indictment of a failed government,” Kigame said. “They should be encouraged to invest in mega projects, form companies, and recoup the benefits from their contributions. They are the key to Kenya’s economic growth.”
Kigame suggested that rather than handing over national infrastructure projects to foreign companies like Adani or Chinese contractors, the government should prioritize partnerships with Kenyan citizens living abroad.
“If given the opportunity to lead this country, I would make the diaspora my main development partner. I would prioritize their involvement in national development over external entities,” he declared.
Kigame emphasized that such an approach would not only reduce the country’s dependency on external debt but also give Kenyans a stronger stake in their own development.
His remarks have sparked fresh debate about Kenya’s long-term economic strategy and the role of its diaspora in nation-building, especially as the country grapples with mounting public debt and growing calls for more inclusive economic planning.
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