FIA Kenya to G20: Deliver Economic Justice for All Through a People-First Global Agenda

By Irene 

As the world’s most powerful economies prepare to gather for the G20 Summit in South Africa, the Fight Inequality Alliance Kenya (FIA Kenya) has issued a strong call for global and national leaders to “put people and the planet before profits.” The movement is demanding bold action to end economic injustice and reshape global systems that deepen poverty and inequality.

In a statement released ahead of the summit, FIA Kenya — a coalition of grassroots movements, civil society organizations, and community networks — criticized the G20 for promoting economic policies that serve wealthy nations and corporations at the expense of ordinary citizens.

> “The G20 must deliver economic justice for all, not just the privileged few,” said Brenda Osoro, National Coordinator of FIA Kenya. “For too long, global decisions have been made behind closed doors, while millions of people in Kenya and across the Global South struggle to survive rising costs, debt, and joblessness.”

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 36% of Kenyans live below the poverty line despite steady economic growth. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, and public debt — now standing at KSh 11.81 trillion, or 67.8% of GDP — consumes a greater share of national revenue than any single social sector.

FIA Kenya argues that this economic reality is not accidental but the result of unjust global systems and domestic policy failures. International lenders continue to impose austerity measures — cutting subsidies, freezing public hiring, and privatizing essential services — in the name of efficiency. At the same time, multinational corporations exploit tax loopholes while ordinary Kenyans face rising taxes and stagnating wages.

People’s Assemblies: Kenya’s Voice of the 99%

In response, FIA Kenya has organized People’s Assemblies across the country — in Nairobi, Vihiga, Kakamega, and Kiambu — where citizens most affected by inequality have voiced their frustrations and developed a People’s Declaration. The declaration represents the 99%, calling for an economy built on justice, dignity, and collective power.

Participants from these assemblies spoke of how G20-driven policies have impacted their lives: from surging tax burdens and land injustices to job scarcity and the erosion of public services. Women, youth, and rural communities, they noted, are hit hardest.

> “The G20 makes decisions that shape our lives — but without us,” said one community leader from Kakamega. “We are reclaiming our voice through the People’s Assembly to demand a future shaped by our needs, not by global elites.”

FIA Kenya’s Demands to the G20

FIA Kenya outlined five key demands for the G20:

1. Debt Justice: Cancel or restructure illegitimate and unsustainable debt so that countries can invest in people, not creditors.

2. Fair Taxation: Ensure that corporations and the super-rich pay their fair share, while ending regressive taxes that burden the poor.

3. Public Services for All: Reverse austerity and expand access to education, water, healthcare, and social protection.

4. Economic Inclusion: Make women, youth, and marginalized communities central to all economic decisions.

5. Climate Justice: Commit to fair climate financing that supports adaptation and resilience in Kenya and across the Global South.

A Call for Global Solidarity

FIA Kenya emphasized that inequality is not inevitable — it is the result of political choices that can be reversed through solidarity and courage. The alliance urged the G20 to embrace transformative reforms that prioritize human dignity and fairness over profit and power.

> “Kenya’s future depends on whether global and local leaders choose justice over greed,” Osoro concluded. “We call on the G20 to listen to the voices of the 99% — the people who build our societies but are left behind by current economic rules.”

As Kenya joins the discussions in South Africa, FIA Kenya is rallying citizens and allies worldwide to amplify the campaign using the hashtags #WeThe99 and #DrawTheRedLine — a call to draw a clear line against inequality and demand a people-first global agenda.