G20 Must Deliver Economic Justice for All: FIA Kenya Demands a People-First Global Agenda
13 November | Nairobi, Kenya
Heading:
From Austerity to Equality: A Call to Put People Before Profit in Kenya and Beyond
Kenya’s inequality crisis is no accident — it is the predictable outcome of a global economic system built to enrich a few and impoverish the many. For decades, decisions made in distant boardrooms and elite summits have dictated the lives of millions across the Global South. The result is a world where the Global North, home to just 15–20% of the population, controls nearly 85% of global wealth — a world tilted by design.
As the G20 meets in South Africa, the question must be asked: will they continue to protect the 1%, or will they act for the 99%? Because behind every austerity measure, every cut to health or education, and every privatized public service lies a human cost — borne not by the powerful, but by ordinary citizens.
Yet even as we challenge the global order, we must also confront the choices made at home. Kenya’s inequality is not only exported from abroad; it is reinforced within our own borders — by tax policies that favour the wealthy, by budgets that reward lenders over citizens, and by governance that excludes the very people it claims to serve.
The global financial system may set the rules, but our leaders decide whether to follow them blindly or to rise and defend the dignity of their people. The time has come to stop managing poverty and start dismantling inequality.
The Fight Inequality Alliance Kenya, speaking with and for communities across the nation, calls for bold, people-centered action — policies that lift Kenyans from survival to security, from dependency to dignity.
We propose the following five steps toward an economy that truly serves the people:
- Audit the Debt, Protect the People:
Conduct a comprehensive, transparent public debt audit to determine which debts are legitimate and which are odious. Kenya and other African nations should establish a joint African debt negotiation platform to speak with one voice to lenders. Debt repayments must be capped so that no country spends more on creditors than on its citizens. - Tax Justice, Not Tax Burden:
Instead of overtaxing low- and middle-income earners, shift to progressive taxes on wealth, land, capital gains, and luxury goods. Kenya should push the G20 to finalize a Global Tax Convention under the United Nations — one that ends profit-shifting and ensures corporations pay taxes where they operate. - Invest in People, Not Cuts:
Reject austerity. Expand employment through public works in healthcare, education, green energy, and other social sectors. These investments are not costs — they are the foundation of productivity, stability, and dignity. - Reform Corporate Incentives:
Establish a robust public framework to assess all corporate tax incentives, ensuring they deliver tangible social and economic benefits before approval. Incentives should prioritize micro, small, and cooperative enterprises that create local jobs and shared prosperity. - Democratize Economic Governance:
Let citizens have a real seat at the table in determining budgets, debt policies, and public spending. Democracy does not end at the ballot box — it must extend to how we govern our national resources and shape our collective future.
Kenya — and the Global South — do not lack ideas. What we lack is the political courage to implement them. The time for bold choices is now. A fairer, more equal world is possible — if we dare to put people first.
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