Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has raised concern over Kenya’s debt burden, questioning how much of the country’s tax revenue is being spent on debt repayment at the expense of development and public services.
Gachagua raised the issue during a meeting with Kenyans living and working in Dallas, Texas, where he said the country needed greater transparency over its finances.
“If, as reported, about KSh75 of every KSh100 in tax revenue goes toward debt servicing, we must ask what that means for the services and development Kenyans expect,” Gachagua said.
He said the situation required an honest national conversation on the country’s debt and how it was being managed.
“And when debt repayments exceed revenue collected, the country cannot afford to look away. These figures call for transparency, accountability and an honest national conversation,” he said.
Gachagua also criticised the government over what he described as a focus on public-relations gestures rather than delivering meaningful results to Kenyans.
His remarks came during an engagement with the Diaspora Caucus in Dallas, where he listened to concerns raised by Kenyans living in the United States.
The former deputy president said Kenyans in the diaspora had an important role to play in shaping the country’s future and called for greater collaboration between the government and citizens living abroad.
“Their commitment to our country is a reminder that the diaspora is not on the sidelines; it is an important partner in Kenya’s future,” he said.
Gachagua also accused the government of eroding constitutional principles, saying Kenyans were concerned about the state of the country.
He said his engagement with the diaspora would continue, with discussions focusing on the economy, governance and the contribution of Kenyans living abroad.
The debt concerns come against the backdrop of increasing pressure on the government to meet its debt obligations while funding development and essential services.
The Institute of Economic Affairs said in August that about KSh71 out of every KSh100 collected in tax revenue was going towards servicing existing debt, citing figures from the 2024/25 Annual Debt Report.
Gachagua’s figure of KSh75 therefore differs from the IEA estimate, although both point to the substantial share of tax revenue being absorbed by debt servicing.
The former deputy president is currently in the United States, where he has been meeting Kenyan diaspora groups as part of his engagements there.
