Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has stood by a controversial statement he made on social media in 2023, vowing to kick the IMF and World Bank out of Kenya.
Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Monday, May 26, 2025, Olekina stood by his words and reaffirmed his strong opposition to the influence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in shaping Kenya’s economic policies.
“You know, if I had the power to do that, I would have kicked them out a long time ago,” the lawmaker said in the Monday morning interview.
Olekina’s comments echo a growing sentiment among Kenyans frustrated with the economic policies imposed by these international financial institutions.
He traced the root of Kenya’s current economic challenges back to the structural adjustment policies introduced by the IMF and World Bank, which he believes have led to excessive taxation and economic dependency.
IMF loan conditions
“The moment they tell you to tax your citizens so that you can be able to pay their loans is the moment you start destroying and become a slave of the IMF,” Olekina warned.
He criticised the heavy conditions attached to the loans, which he argues continue to stifle the nation’s progress.
“Those loans come with heavy conditions. We don’t want them. Can we learn to live within our means? Can we all speak the language of living within our means and realigning our own existing resources?” he questioned.
Olekina highlighted Kenya’s vast natural resources, particularly the rare earth minerals, which he claims are worth trillions. He urged the nation to focus on leveraging these resources to build a self-sustaining economy.
The senator also took aim at the mismanagement within Kenya’s devolved government system, accusing county governors of overstepping their roles and failing to understand their responsibilities.
“Most county governments do not understand the default functions. You will see a lot of county governments building primary schools building secondary schools. That is not their role. That is the role of the national government,” he said, citing examples of failed projects and misallocated funds.
Ballooning debt
Olekina’s critique extended to the broader political landscape, blaming past administrations for excessive borrowing and a lack of focus on sustainable development.
He specifically mentioned the Moi era, where social revenue was prioritised over borrowing, contrasting it with subsequent regimes that accumulated significant debt.
The senator called for a reevaluation of parliamentary roles, urging lawmakers to prioritise oversight over personal interests like the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
“If the 11th and 12th Parliament lawmakers were not fixated on CDF, then just maybe they would have been able to do a job better,” he said, pointing out the distractions that have led to poor governance.
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a digital writer with over five years of experience. He graduated in February 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from The Co-operative University of Kenya. He has written news and feature stories for platforms such as Construction Review Online, Sports Brief, Briefly News, and Criptonizando. In 2023, he completed a course in Digital Investigation Techniques with AFP. He joined K24 Digital in May 2025. For inquiries, he can be reached at [email protected].
