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Safina Party's Defining Moment: From Mau Mau to Modern Revolution

Author

Gerald Kombo
September 19, 2025

Breaking the Chains of Colonial Mentality

Jimi Wanjigi opened his historic address by connecting Kenya's colonial past to its present struggles. He began with a stark reminder of how Kenyans endure exploitation even today - from rent extraction to persistent social problems that politicians promise to solve but never address.

The Mau Mau Legacy and Gen Z Parallels

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"The colonial masters... And during the time of the Mau Mau, the Mau Mau were the Gen Z of their time."

Wanjigi drew a powerful parallel between the Mau Mau freedom fighters and today's Gen Z activists, noting that 300,000 Mau Mau were killed in the struggle for independence. He referenced the colonial period starting around 1920, when Kenyans became colonized people who were given the Bible while their land was taken.

The Era of Light Declaration

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"We are now in the era of light, not darkness."
"You cannot subjugate a wise man... he will refuse to be enslaved."

Wanjigi declared that modern Kenyans, like their Mau Mau ancestors, cannot be subjugated once they are awakened. He warned that those hiding in darkness - corrupt leaders and exploitative systems - would be exposed by this new era of Enlightenment.

Safina's Revolutionary Economic Agenda

The Bandia Debt Revolution

The centerpiece of Wanjigi's address was Safina's refusal to pay "deni bandia" (fake, illegitimate debts):

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"We will not pay that fake debt. We simply won't pay fake debt."

He revealed shocking statistics:

  • 70% of Kenya's budget goes to debt servicing

  • The 2024-2025 budget allocated 2 trillion shillings to debt payments

  • This has now increased to 2.3 trillion shillings in fake debt payments

  • Total national debt has reached 10.5 trillion shillings

Redirecting Trillions to the People

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"Because we won't pay that debt, we'll have... 2 trillion every year until 2038."

Safina promises to redirect these trillions from debt payments directly to:

  • Healthcare and hospital services

  • Education and school infrastructure

  • Direct citizen welfare programs

Comprehensive Tax and Banking Reform

Revolutionary Tax Cuts

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"We will reduce it to a 5% sales tax. We're reducing the taxes being collected."

Wanjigi specified that VAT, currently at 18%, will be slashed to just 5%, saving Kenyans billions in tax burden. The government currently collects 400 billion annually in various taxes that burden ordinary citizens.

Banking Revolution for All

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"You could borrow one million here, and pay back only 30,000 shillings per year."

Safina promises to:

  • Reduce bank loan interest rates to below 5%, possibly even 3%

  • End government borrowing from domestic banks (6.2 trillion in domestic debt)

  • Allow banks to create more money for ordinary citizens instead of the government

Universal Social Services

Free Education and Healthcare

Drawing from the Kibaki era's success with free primary education, Wanjigi committed to:

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"Government will say no school fees. No payments."

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"No fees, not even a little, will come from your pockets for schooling or medical treatment."

Security and Policing Reform

American-Style Police Reform

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"The police officer called OCPD will be like a Sheriff in America. We will change the name of OCPD."

Wanjigi promised comprehensive police reform, restructuring the OCPD (Officer Commanding Police Division) system to mirror international best practices and ensure community accountability.

Coalition of the People, Not Offices

Beyond Tribal Politics

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"We want relationships and coalitions of issues and interests... from the people of this country."

Safina rejects tribalism and office-based alliances), instead calling for grassroots movements built on shared citizen interests.

A Call to Every Kenyan

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"Safina members, ask 'what next?' Embrace your neighbors... embrace every trader in the market."

Wanjigi's rallying cry extends to pastors, friends, market vendors, and every Kenyan, calling for a "2 by 2" movement of citizen engagement.

Accountability Promise

Three-Month Ultimatum

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"If we don't deliver on these words, remove us within three months."

Wanjigi made an unprecedented pledge: if Safina fails to deliver on its promises, Kenyans should remove them from power within three months. He emphasized that "uwezo ni yenu apana sisi" ("the power belongs to you, not us").

The Cultural Renaissance

Reclaiming Kenyan Identity

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"These will bring our Kenyan culture... People should know what it means to be Kenyan."

Wanjigi referenced artists like Wakadinali as representatives of authentic Kenyan culture, contrasting this with the "kazi ya serikali ni kuwa mzungu" (government's job is to be like colonial masters) mentality that he vows to end.

The party's promise to be accountable within 90 days and its rejection of tribal politics in favor of "coalition of issues and interests" signals a fundamental shift in Kenyan political discourse.

Most powerfully, by connecting the Mau Mau legacy to today's Gen Z activism, Wanjigi positions Safina as the continuation of Kenya's freedom struggle - this time, against economic colonialism and elite capture.