The Fight Inequality Alliance Kenya (FIA Kenya) has called on global leaders attending the forthcoming G20 Summit in South Africa to prioritise people and the planet in global economic decision-making, cautioning that the bloc’s policies continue to deepen inequality and hardship in developing nations such as Kenya.
Addressing a press briefing at a Nairobi hotel on Thursday, FIA Kenya National Coordinator Brenda Osoro said the G20, which brings together the world’s 20 richest economies controlling about 85 per cent of global wealth, has a significant influence on international economic governance yet remains largely unaccountable to the majority of the world’s population.
Osoro said the decisions made by the bloc directly affect Kenya’s economy through debt, taxation, and trade frameworks that favour powerful nations and multinational corporations.
“The G20 makes decisions that shape our lives every day, yet countries like Kenya are not represented at that table. We are calling on our government not to follow G20 prescriptions blindly but to make independent choices that protect the interests of ordinary Kenyans. We also urge the G20 to adopt policies that benefit all people, not just the privileged few,” she said.
The coordinator noted that Kenya’s public debt, estimated at Sh11.81 trillion, has reached an alarming level, consuming more than 67 per cent of all revenue collected through taxes.
She said the rising debt burden has reduced fiscal space for investment in key sectors, forcing citizens to shoulder the cost of repayment through higher taxation and reduced funding for essential services.
“Out of every Sh100 the government collects, Sh67 go towards repaying debt. That means less money for hospitals, schools and other vital services. Some of this debt was acquired under unfair conditions and without public participation. We are therefore calling for a comprehensive public debt audit to ensure transparency and accountability,” she added.
FIA Kenya is also urging the international community to cancel illegitimate and unsustainable debts, arguing that continued repayment of such loans undermines the country’s ability to invest in social and economic development.
Osoro said G20 countries, through their influence over global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, have promoted austerity measures that compel developing nations to cut public spending, privatise state assets, and raise taxes.
She said these measures have worsened inequality and slowed progress in poverty reduction.
“The IMF often tells us to cut subsidies and reduce public spending in order to qualify for loans. As a result, our hospitals lack resources, schools are underfunded, and public workers face hiring freezes, while citizens are taxed more to repay debts they never agreed to,” she said.
According to the Alliance, the G20’s open-market agenda has also disadvantaged developing economies by exposing them to unfair competition from multinational corporations that enjoy tax exemptions and incentives.
Osoro said such policies have weakened local small and medium enterprises (SMEs), many of which struggle to compete on unequal terms.
“The open-market concept does not work for Kenya. Our local enterprises are dwarfed by multinational corporations that enjoy tax holidays and repatriate profits abroad. The few jobs created are mostly low-paying, leaving our economy dependent and vulnerable,” she observed.
FIA Kenya maintains that the country’s inequality crisis is both a domestic and global problem, driven by weak accountability at home and unjust international economic systems.
Despite Kenya’s classification as an emerging economy, more than 36 percent of Kenyans still live below the poverty line, with millions facing rising costs of living, unstable employment and limited access to services.
Osoro said the Alliance is calling on Kenya’s leadership to focus on reducing inequality rather than managing poverty by adopting progressive taxation, expanding social protection and investing in health, education and infrastructure.
She explained that FIA Kenya has been organising people’s assemblies across the country to collect citizens’ views on how global economic policies affect their lives.
The sessions, held in counties including Nairobi, Vihiga, Kakamega and Kiambu, have allowed citizens to express concerns over taxes, joblessness and the high cost of living.
“The People’s Assemblies are our way of reclaiming a voice that has long been ignored. The people most affected by inequality—workers, women, youth and rural communities—are not at the G20 table, yet their lives are shaped by its policies,” she stated.
The consultations culminated in the development of a People’s Declaration, which outlines five key priorities for both global and national leaders.
The document calls for the cancellation or restructuring of illegitimate debt, establishment of a fair global tax system that ensures corporations and the wealthy pay their share, reversal of austerity policies, inclusion of women and youth in economic decision-making, and provision of adequate climate financing for vulnerable nations.
Osoro emphasised that inequality is not inevitable but the result of deliberate policy choices that can be reversed through political will and global solidarity.
She urged Kenya’s delegation to the G20 Summit to advocate for reforms that promote justice and equality rather than policies that deepen dependency.
“As Kenya participates in the G20 Summit, our leaders must defend the interests of their citizens. Kenya’s future must be shaped by people-centred policies that protect livelihoods and uphold human dignity,” she said.
FIA Kenya said the time has come for both global and national leaders to commit to a fairer system that guarantees opportunity, dignity and justice for all.
By Naif Rashid
