Former Roots Party presidential running mate Justina Wamae has issued a strong warning over Kenya’s growing debt crisis, urging citizens to elect leaders focused on wealth creation rather than debt-driven expenditure.

Her remarks come amid new data showing that in the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, public debt repayments consumed a staggering 93 percent of the Ksh 554 billion collected in tax revenues.

Wamae took to X on October 24, 2025, to express concern over the state of Kenya’s finances, writing, “The first quarter of the financial year 2025/26 saw tax revenues of Ksh 554 billion. Public debt spending equated to 93% of tax revenues raised during the quarter.”

She added, “The heavy spending on public debt continues to exert pressure on other expenditure items. Development spending consumed Ksh 43 billion over the three months — a mere 9% of the annual target.”

Her remarks highlight the strain on infrastructure and essential services as debt servicing overshadows development. The government’s high borrowing costs have been a recurring issue, leaving limited fiscal space for social programs, healthcare, and education.

Call for accountability and fiscal discipline

Wamae, who has long championed economic democracy, attributed the financial distress to poor fiscal discipline and misplaced national priorities. “A lot of the borrowed money is going into recurrent spending hence the need to order the disorder in regards to electing CREATORS of wealth for nation Kenya as opposed to spenders of our illusive wealth,” she stated, calling for a paradigm shift in leadership and governance.

Her critique extended beyond fiscal policy to broader systemic inefficiencies. “A striking nation! Different sectors, same frustrations. Hospitals without doctors, schools without teachers,” she lamented, taking a swipe at government leaders. In another post, she added, “Sema 2 term! Shenanigans! Don’t ask me for a solution, ask those ones you are currently paying fat salaries and perks with your taxes.”

Free education debate

In a detailed follow-up, Wamae challenged the idea of free education, saying, “Anybody promising you free education, including university education, is lying! Correct me because I went to a private university, and our university leadership was just there since the school fees paid by my parents (in my case) would speak for me.”

She criticised the politicisation of higher learning, noting, “If you were a student leader you would also accept those incentives from State House,” and traced political interference in education from Moi’s era to now.”

Wamae emphasised that accountability begins with citizens who must demand results from leaders once they are elected. “When you give me the job after explaining to you the POLICY proposals and subsequently start paying me with your taxes, then you can demand those solutions/alternatives,” she wrote.