Jimi Wanjigi explains why he was blocked from 2022 presidential race
By Kenneth Mwenda, May 18, 2026Safina Party leader Jimi Wanjigi has said he was stopped from contesting the 2022 presidential election after a dispute over his academic qualifications, which he insists was later resolved.
Speaking during a Sunday night TV interview on May 17, 2026, Wanjigi said officials blocked his bid on the grounds that he had not produced a graduation certificate at the time of clearance.
He said the matter was reduced to a technical issue, even though he had completed his studies.
“They told me that I did not have a degree certificate, that I had gone to college but did not have the certificate of graduation,” he said.
Wanjigi argued that he had already finished his studies and was only waiting for the formal issuance of the certificate.
“So the certificate of graduation was due three months later,” he said. “The court had already ruled on what the qualifications were. If you have graduated, if you have passed your degree and have got the results, it is enough.”
He claimed that earlier court decisions supported his interpretation of academic eligibility for public office, but that the issue was still used to lock him out of the race.
“They used that technicality,” he said. “That was contrary to even what jurisprudence had passed. It was targeted.”
Wanjigi said he eventually received his graduation certificate three months later, but by then the election process had already moved on.
“So three months later, I got my graduation certificate, so that is not an issue,” he said. “It was the certificate, not that I had not passed through the process. That is finished. There is no other remedy.”
He maintained that the matter is now closed and should not be revisited.
“Open and done with,” he said during the interview.
Wanjigi defends political record
The Safina leader also used the interview to defend his political record and consistency, saying he has remained active in public debate since 2021.
He said critics who argue that he only appears during election cycles misunderstand his political engagement.
“I have been talking consistently. I have been on radio shows and TV shows. I talk about one major item, the economy,” he said.
Wanjigi also responded to questions about his track record in governance, saying he brings private sector experience rather than a traditional political background.
“My track record is that I am a successful businessman. I am an outsider who has insider knowledge,” he said.
He argued that Kenya needs leaders outside the traditional political system, which he blamed for the country’s current economic challenges.
“We are where we are. Sixty per cent of us are poor, and most of our revenue goes to debt,” he said.
Wanjigi said he is open to working with other leaders but only on what he called a serious economic agenda.
“I will join together with anybody who is seriously addressing the issue of the economy,” he said. “Not on slogans.”