Justina Wamae slams govt officials for celebrating GDP gains as citizens suffer
By Kiprono Keileb, September 2, 2025Former Roots Party presidential running mate Justina Wamae has dismissed the government’s emphasis on economic growth statistics, saying they do not reflect the reality ordinary Kenyans face.
Speaking during a radio talk show aired on a local Radio Station on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Wamae said that while the state celebrates improvements in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), citizens continue to suffer from the rising cost of living and lack of jobs. She argued that GDP figures have become a smokescreen that hides the real economic pain felt in households across the country.
“Ordinary Kenyan akiskia GDP wanaona ni kama kazi imefanyika, ukiwa nyumbani unajiuliza uko na ile pesa? Purchasing power ya kununua chakula, kulipa school fees,” she said. According to Wamae, Kenyans are increasingly asking why their purchasing power continues to shrink despite positive economic reports.
She added that the crisis is more than financial; it is also social.
“Watoto wamepoteza tumaini wanasema kama hakuna kazi mbona niende shule?” she observed, noting that the growing hopelessness among young people is a direct result of unemployment and reduced household incomes.
Wamae was particularly critical of government actions that she described as public relations stunts, citing fuel price adjustments as an example.
“Mkenya amefinyija unaona wanapandisha mafuta shilingi 9 na kushukisha na shilingi 1. Hio ni PR Stand,” she said.
Her remarks come at a time when inflation, high taxation, and fluctuating fuel costs have dominated public debate. Families are struggling to cope with the rising cost of food, school fees, and transport, even as official statistics suggest that the economy is on an upward trajectory.
Economists have long pointed out that GDP growth does not necessarily translate into improved living standards, especially when inequality and unemployment remain high. Wamae’s comments reflect a growing demand for leaders to focus less on abstract numbers and more on policies that directly increase household incomes and restore hope for the younger generation.
As the debate continues, her blunt reminder, “Kenyans cannot eat GDP”, is resonating with many who feel that the country’s economic story is far removed from their daily struggles.