The Equitable Party (TEP) leader Edwin Sifuna, for the first time on Sunday, hinted at his vision for Kenya, centring his 2027 presidential bid on economic opportunity, accountability, constitutionalism and a reduction of government waste.
At the heart of Mr Sifuna’s agenda, which he presents as a sharp departure from President William Ruto’s leadership style, is a promise to expand citizen participation, create more opportunities for young people, cut taxes, intensify the fight against corruption and eliminate wastage in government.
He has also promised to overhaul the education and health sectors, arguing that many parents continue to struggle to keep their children in school while patients face difficulties accessing healthcare despite the introduction of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
If elected, Mr Sifuna has promised to scrap the Housing Levy and Value Added Tax on petroleum products as part of a broader plan to reduce the cost of living. Employed Kenyans currently contribute a mandatory 1.5 per cent of their gross income towards the Affordable Housing Programme, matched by a similar contribution from employers.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna during the unveiling of The Equitable Party at The Stanley Hotel in Nairobi on October 4, 2026.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
Scrapping the levy and SHIF has also featured prominently on the platforms of other opposition leaders seeking to challenge Dr Ruto in 2027. The housing programme is one of the president’s flagship projects.
Mr Sifuna argued that Kenya’s problem is not a lack of revenue, but misplaced spending priorities and wastage by government officials. He said a government led by him would seek to balance the budget within 15 months by reducing its appetite for domestic borrowing and redirecting credit to the private sector.
The Nairobi Senator said estimates show that between Sh500 billion and Sh1.8 trillion could be saved annually by eliminating what he described as corruption and wastage embedded in government spending.
Mr Sifuna said he has assembled a team of experts that is in the final stages of preparing his manifesto, which he will use in seeking Kenyans’ mandate in the 2027 presidential election.
“They (experts) say that if we dealt decisively with this budgeted corruption, it is possible to do away with the Housing Levy, VAT on fuel and electricity, which will benefit all Kenyans,” Mr Sifuna said in a written speech.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino (left) and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna at Stanley Hotel in Nairobi on October 4,2026 during the unveiling of the Equitable Party.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation
Beyond the specific economic measures unveiled on Sunday, Mr Sifuna has repeatedly argued that development cannot be separated from constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law. The senator has argued that government projects cannot compensate for violations of human rights or the erosion of constitutional safeguards.
“The Equitable Party does not come waving a magic wand that will wipe away all national problems. But we intend to provide a platform through which these concerns can be heard and addressed through democratic institutions, and within the confines of the law,” Mr Sifuna said.
Mr Sifuna said his administration would treat public resources as a public trust and judge government by what it delivers to ordinary citizens.
He also claimed that taxpayers lose billions of shillings to corruption every year, putting the figure at about Sh2 billion a day.
From left, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Siaya Governor James Orengo at Stanley Hotel in Nairobi on October 4, 2026, during the unveiling of The Equitable Party (TEP).
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation
“These numbers represent the pain and suffering of the ordinary Kenyan, masked in the greed, indifference and failure of leadership. We are the generation that must put a stop to this,” he said.
The Sh2 billion-a-day figure has been previously cited by other leaders, including former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2021, and in 2016 by then Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairperson Philip Kinisu.
Mr Sifuna also pledged to expand opportunities for young people and women to participate in shaping government policies and decisions.
“We believe women must have genuine opportunities to participate and lead. We believe that every region and every community in the country deserves dignity, representation, and equal consideration within our national project.”
