Businessman and politician Jimi Wanjigi has taken over the leadership of Safina Party, marking a new chapter for the party that has been largely inactive in recent years.
Wanjigi was handed the reins by Senior Counsel Paul Muite, who has led the party since its founding in 1995.
The transition took place on Thursday afternoon during Safina’s National Delegates Conference at the Ngong Racecourse in Nairobi.
Founded as a political home for progressive reformists, Safina played a key role in Kenya’s pro-democracy movement in the 1990s.
However, the party has kept a low profile in recent election cycles — until it resurfaced in the lead-up to the 2022 general election.
Wanjigi, a former ally of ODM leader Raila Odinga, joined Safina after a dramatic fallout with ODM.
The rift emerged when Wanjigi urged Odinga to step aside and back his own presidential ambitions, citing previous support he had given Odinga in past elections.
The situation escalated when angry ODM supporters confronted Wanjigi at the party’s headquarters, prompting police intervention to escort him to safety.
Outgoing party leader Senior Counsel Paul Muite.
Upon assuming leadership, Wanjigi declared his mission to transform Safina into a vehicle for economic liberation.
“The struggle is not over. We must complete what our ancestors began and give Kenya the economic liberation it deserves,” said Wanjigi.
Adding “This is not just politics; this is an economic revolution. Safina is the ark of change, and together we will deliver economic freedom for every Kenyan.”
Wanjigi will be deputised by lawyer Willis Otieno, known for his legal work and public policy advocacy.
Outgoing leader Paul Muite stressed the importance of data-driven political strategy going forward.
“With over 500,000 polling stations, we must understand how many voters are registered in each area. This data is crucial,” Muite said.
The leadership change signals an attempt by Safina to rebrand and re-emerge as a force in Kenya’s political arena, with Wanjigi at the helm promising bold, economy-first politics ahead of the 2027 general election.
