Busia Senator Okimya has strongly urged Kenyans to avoid being tempted into premature endorsements of presidential candidates from the opposition who are eyeing the presidency ahead of the 2027 General Election. Omtatah rallied his fellow presidential hopefuls during a civic engagement forum in Busia County where he emphasized the need for conducting a thorough interrogation in order to evaluate them based on what they delivered during their respective times in service.
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‎”Let us see what they did when they had an opportunity to do it, when they came across a thorn on the road did they just pass and leave the thorn there or pick the thorn and destroy it so that whoever comes on to that road does not suffer?” said Omtatah
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‎Omtatah further termed the current political environment as unhealthy for Kenya’s democratic space and Kenya’s should consider it a priority resisting the temptation of early endorsements. He also said in order to promote credible leadership, factors that lead to early narrowing of candidates which undermine this process of selecting credible leadership shouldn’t be promoted at all.
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‎”Let us audit people in terms of what they did and what they didn’t do, let somebody not just be good because they did nothing” added Omtatah.
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‎The senator’s remarks come amid increased political realignments in the country within members of opposition. Among the several high-profile figures who have declared interest in unseating President William Ruto in the next electoral cycle include include immediate former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, former Chief Justice David Maraga, former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, Kalonzo Musyoka, Okiya Omtatah among others.
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‎President William Ruto’s administration has come under increased public criticism especially from over the last few months for what many Kenyans are calling a dismal performance in delivering key pre elections promises has received backlash from a section of Gen Z who many think is dishonest.
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‎As of the 2022 general election, The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) figures show that Kenya had a total of 22,120,458 registered voters from all 47 counties, as well as registered voters in the diaspora and prisons. This figure is expected to rise ahead of registration of new voters comprising mainly of the youth.