How did Jimmy Wanjigi go from being an ally of nearly every regime to becoming one of the government’s most formidable adversaries? What makes him so threatening that each administration feels compelled to deploy elite forces to apprehend the Kenyan billionaire? Over the past week, the founder of the Safina Party has become a significant thorn in President Ruto’s side. Not only has he exposed Ruto’s perceived incompetence, but he has also hinted at ambitions to remove Kenya’s 5th president from office. Wanjigi’s bold statements have left many Kenyans questioning how he can criticize President Ruto so fearlessly, especially when Ruto is considered one of the most formidable figures in Kenya. Isn’t Wanjigi concerned about the potential consequences of crossing Ruto? Let’s delve into the life of Jimmy Wanjigi, a man whose mere presence has consistently unnerved Kenyan presidents, from Kibaki to Ruto.
Before 2017, Jimmy Wanjigi’s name was not widely recognized by the general public, but it was well-known among the elite. Wanjigi was the mastermind behind the scenes of numerous government deals, pulling strings across the security sector, military, parastatals, and Parliament. His influence in these areas propelled him from being an ordinary hustler to an international business magnate, owning properties in the United Kingdom, Dubai, and Zurich and a lavish home on a 5-acre estate in Muthaiga, where Kenya’s elite reside.
Multiple reports suggest Wanjigi amassed his wealth through exclusive access to single-sourced, multi-billion government contracts. How did he secure these lucrative deals? According to sources, he provided loans to key figures controlling major sectors of the country, who, in return, awarded him these tenders.
For instance, he extended a “business loan” of USD 500,000 (Sh50 million) to Wang Guang Wen, the local project manager for China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau, a company that has secured multi-billion shilling tenders from Kenya Pipeline.
Wanjigi is known for conceiving projects or participating in their inception, convincing government officials to support them, and then connecting with Chinese companies capable of securing infrastructure funding from Chinese policy banks, particularly the China Export-Import Bank (Exim) and China Development Bank. In these deals, he acts as the local agent, earning between 9 and 15 percent of the contract value.
Behind the scenes, Wanjigi was orchestrating nearly all government contracts, not only in infrastructure but also in the security sector, where corruption often remains concealed under layers of secrecy. As his wealth grew, Wanjigi attracted the attention of prominent politicians. Being a shrewd businessman, he ensured that his interactions with these politicians always served his business interests.
During the KANU era, Wanjigi became deeply involved in the security sector, leveraging his close relationship with the late George Saitoti, the former Internal Security Minister. Through this connection, Wanjigi gained insights into Kenya’s security needs, seizing the opportunity to supply critical equipment such as tamper-proof passports, forensic laboratories, helicopters, and satellite services, often through single-sourced contracts.
It was through these dealings that Wanjigi’s name began to circulate within government circles, although much of his work remained behind the scenes. His first major brush with political prominence came during the Anglo Leasing scandal, where fictitious and shell companies were awarded multi-billion-shilling security tenders in the final years of the KANU regime. The scandal got its name from the company that secured the first of these contracts.
During Mwai Kibaki’s presidency, Wanjigi continued to assert his influence in government procurement, still operating from the shadows. He exploited his connections with members of the Kibaki family and key presidential staff, smoothly integrating himself into the new regime and becoming one of its most influential deal-makers. According to U.S. embassy cables, Wanjigi’s first significant windfall during Kibaki’s era was a $5.6 million (Sh560 million) deal, which he shared with a powerful Cabinet minister. At the core of this scheme were 18 grossly overpriced state security contracts, totaling $770 million, involving various foreign and domestic entities, with the latter acting as intermediaries.
Reports from the Nation newspaper indicate that Wanjigi’s strategy across various regimes involved manipulating policy formation, crafting budgets, and shaping laws to serve his interests. He reportedly had a strong grip on nearly every institution within Kibaki’s government, leveraging this control to secure numerous tenders across different procurement departments.
As Kibaki’s regime came to an end, Wanjigi maintained significant influence within the government and continued to dominate the tendering process. He was reportedly prepared to invest billions in the next administration to ensure his continued success in securing tenders.
Wanjigi is also believed to have played a pivotal role in the alliance between William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta prior to 2013, brokering the coalition that led to the formation of the Jubilee Party, which eventually succeeded Kibaki’s government. During the 2012 Jubilee campaigns, Wanjigi is said to have been instrumental as a fundraiser.
By uniting Ruto and Kenyatta and funding their campaigns, Wanjigi aimed to secure his involvement in the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, a Sh320 billion initiative he had proposed during the Grand Coalition government.
However, Wanjigi’s plans were disrupted by Uhuru’s regime when the government handed a lucrative project to another agent, sidelining Wanjigi despite reportedly contributing over 600 million shillings to their campaign. This move seems to have sparked the enmity between the Kenyatta and Ruto families. During Uhuru’s tenure, Wanjigi’s influence extended into neighboring countries like Tanzania, where his close relationship with President John Magufuli was well-known. Pundits suggest that he played a role in setting up a parallel vote tallying system during the last election in Tanzania.
By 2017, after losing trust in the Kenyatta regime, Wanjigi resurfaced, ready to take another leap of faith by funding Raila Odinga’s NASA coalition. His intentions were clear: if Raila came to power, Wanjigi expected to secure lucrative government tenders. He heavily funded NASA’s campaigns and even allowed the former prime minister to use his helicopter, registered as 5Y-JWJ.
Raila Odinga with Jimmy Wanjigi’s helicopter
Mr. Paul Mwangi, a lawyer deeply involved in NASA’s campaign, stated that his role was limited to legal matters. However, two outspoken MPs from the opposition alliance refused to comment on Wanjigi’s role, switching off their phones when asked.
Despite his generosity towards Raila Odinga and the NASA coalition, Wanjigi’s financial backing appeared to be in vain after Raila failed to win the presidency. As the saying goes, “more money, more problems,” and Wanjigi has certainly faced his share of controversies as a Kenyan billionaire. During Kibaki’s era, he was implicated in the Anglo Leasing scandal, where he was accused of threatening to kill whistleblower John Githongo before Githongo fled to the UK. Githongo’s dossier revealed that Wanjigi was deeply involved in these projects, acting as an agent for various companies associated with the Kamani family and businessman Anura Leslie Pereira.
“This is where he made his billions. Before that, Jimmy was an average person by millionaire standards,” a close friend of Wanjigi confessed. Wanjigi used his wealth to climb into the billionaire’s club, unaware that some of his close associates were involved in defrauding the Kenyan taxpayer through the non-delivery of goods, and services, and massive overpricing. These shady dealings led to the British and US governments barring him from entering their countries, which explains his absence from international trips.
Having clashed with Kibaki’s government, Uhuru’s regime, and now Ruto’s administration, many are left wondering what Jimmy Wanjigi’s end game is. While some claim his continued attacks on Ruto stem from no longer receiving the tenders he once did, Wanjigi believes he is ready to challenge Ruto at the ballot and become the next president of Kenya. The big question remains: are Kenyans ready for Jimmy Wanjigi’s presidency?
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