Wanjigi pays tribute to Paul Muite during Safina party leadership handover

Presidential hopeful Jimmy Wanjigi (left) takes over Safina leadership from Paul Muite (Right) [WANJIGI/X]

Presidential hopeful Jimi Wanjigi formally took over the leadership of Safina Party from its founding leader, Senior Counsel Paul Muite, paying glowing tribute to the veteran lawyer’s decades of public service.

The symbolic handover took place during a Special Delegates Convention (NDC) held in Nairobi on Thursday, September 18.

In a message posted on his official X handle on Friday, Wanjigi described Muite as “a true champion of justice and integrity” whose dedication to democracy and accountability has shaped the party since its inception.

“I officially take over the mantle from Senior Counsel Paul Muite, a true champion of justice and integrity. I thank Paul for his many years of service to the party and to the nation. His legacy of justice, freedom, and accountability inspires us to carry this mission forward. This is not just a handover of power but a call to action,” Wanjigi wrote.

Wanjigi told delegates that under his stewardship, Safina would pivot to what he called an “economic revolution,” promising to focus on debt relief, taxation reform, and improved social services.

The new party leader declared that “the Safina ship now has a captain determined to unseat President William Ruto,” signalling his intent to challenge the Head of State in the 2027 general elections.

Among his five key pledges are reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current 16 per cent to 4 per cent, pledging to halt repayment of what he termed “odious debt,” introducing free universal healthcare, guaranteeing free primary and secondary education, and halting domestic borrowing.

According to Wanjigi, the country’s debt burden has crippled development and robbed young people of opportunities.

He urged Kenya’s youth to rally behind Safina’s agenda, framing the party as a vehicle for generational change. '

Muite, who founded Safina in 1995 at the height of Kenya’s push for multiparty democracy, has long been associated with human rights causes and constitutional reform.

Wanjigi’s remarks were widely interpreted as an effort to reassure the party’s base that its core values would remain intact even as it embarks on a new path under his leadership.

Safina party leader Jimmy Wanjigi and DP Willis Otieno [OTIENO/X]

During the convention, human rights advocate and lawyer Willis Otieno was named Safina’s new deputy party leader.

In his own post on X, Otieno said he was “happy and humbled” by the appointment, calling it “not just a title, but a duty to carry forward our struggle for justice, dignity and economic liberation for all Kenyans.”

He also saluted Muite’s “unmatched service to the nation” and congratulated Wanjigi on his new role.

Otieno also used the platform to invite Kenyans to register with the party by dialling *509#, party code 034.

With the leadership transition, Safina now looks to reposition itself as a formidable political force under Wanjigi’s stewardship while drawing inspiration from Muite’s long record of principled activism.