FIA Kenya Urges G20 to Champion Global Economic Justice
Fight Inequality Alliance Kenya National Coordinator Brenda Osoro addresses journalists during a press briefing on Kenya’s stance ahead of the G20 Summit in Nairobi on November 13, 2025
The Fight Inequality Alliance Kenya (FIA Kenya) has urged global leaders attending the upcoming G20 Summit in South Africa to prioritise people and the planet in economic decision-making, warning that current policies continue to increase hardship and widen inequality in developing nations.
FIA Kenya said the G20 which brings together the world’s wealthiest economies controlling about 85 per cent of global wealth has significant influence over global economic governance yet remains largely unaccountable to countries most affected by its decisions.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi , FIA Kenya National Coordinator Brenda Osoro said the G20 makes decisions that directly affect Kenya’s debt, taxation and trade policies.
“The G20 makes decisions that shape our lives every day, yet countries like Kenya are not represented at that table,” she said.
Osoro urged Kenya not to adopt G20 prescriptions without scrutiny, adding that policies must reflect the needs of ordinary citizens. She noted that Kenya’s public debt, estimated at KSh 11.81 trillion, has reached alarming levels and is now consuming more than 67 per cent of all tax revenue.
She said the rising debt burden has reduced investment in essential sectors, forcing citizens to bear the cost through higher taxation and reduced public services.
“Out of every 100 shillings the government collects, 67 shillings 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,” she added.
FIA Kenya is urging the international community to cancel illegitimate and unsustainable debts, arguing that continued repayments undermine development.
Osoro said G20 countries, through their influence over the IMF and World Bank, have pushed austerity policies that force developing nations to cut public spending, privatise assets and increase taxes.
“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.
She added that the open-market agenda promoted by powerful economies has disadvantaged developing countries by exposing local businesses to unfair competition from multinationals enjoying tax incentives.
“Our SMEs are dwarfed by multinational corporations that get tax holidays and repatriate profits abroad. The few jobs created are mostly low-paying, leaving our economy dependent and vulnerable,” Osoro noted.
Despite Kenya’s classification as an emerging economy, Osoro said more than 36 per cent of Kenyans still live below the poverty line and struggle with rising living costs and limited access to services.
She said FIA Kenya has been holding People’s Assemblies in several counties including Nairobi, Vihiga, Kakamega and Kiambu to gather citizens’ views on global economic decisions.
“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 said.
The consultations produced a People’s Declaration outlining five priorities: cancellation or restructuring of illegitimate debt, a fair global tax system, reversal of austerity, inclusion of women and youth in economic decision-making, and climate financing for vulnerable nations.
Osoro stressed that inequality results from policy choices that can be changed through political will and global solidarity. She urged Kenya to champion reforms that promote justice.
“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 concluded that both national and global leaders must commit to economic systems that guarantee opportunity, fairness and justice for all.
