Omtatah: I will not buy voters to become president
By Arnold Ngure, August 6, 2025Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has said he will not bribe voters to vote in his favour in the 2027 presidential elections.
Speaking during a TV interview on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Omtatah noted that he was elected to the Senate because of his sound policies and that Kenyans should not expect to be bought.
“I am not going to buy voters because it worked for me in Busia; I didn’t have money; I just had a microphone, and I told them what I was going to do, and they gave me their vote,” Omtatah said.
Successful Busia election
“You will hardly get anybody who received money from me, but I got the highest vote as an individual. So, people can understand and give you votes if you make them understand what the challenges are and what you are able to do.”
He remarked that he is not as flamboyant as the rest of his probable competitors in the presidential race, noting that he lives a simple life.
“I live a very simple life. I don’t spend a lot of money on myself, so that also saves me a lot of money,” Omtatah noted.
“We are going to market our policies, not faces. You only need money to market faces; you don’t need money to sell great policies,” he added.
Organised campaign funding
Omtatah also revealed that he will not receive public funds for the campaign before he lays down structures for accountability.
“People have knocked on my door asking whether they should begin contributing, but I have said no. Until I have structures to receive public money, I cannot receive any coin. Right now, I am able to fund my activities from my pocket,” Omtatah said.
“I have reached out, and these civic republicans will be able to come together. Some have money, and some do not have as much money. The goodwill is there that once I roll out the campaign, they would be able to fund,” he added.
Omtatah’s political journey is one of a public interest litigator transitioning into a political leader. For many years, he was widely known as a fierce and relentless activist, often seen in the corridors of justice fighting against corruption and advocating for the rights of the common Kenyan.