Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has sharply criticised President William Ruto over controversial remarks made in Lugari concerning the 2027 elections, urging him to withdraw the statements and issue an apology to the Kenyan people.

Speaking during an interview on K24 TV on Thursday, June 19, 2025, Omtatah accused President Ruto of overstepping his mandate by suggesting he would decide to whom he would hand over power after the next general elections.

According to the vocal legislator, such decisions are the preserve of the Kenyan electorate, not the incumbent president.

“It is not his decision to determine whom he will hand over power to — that mandate lies with the voters. He must withdraw that statement and issue an apology to the people of Kenya,” Omtatah said.

The senator likened Ruto’s remarks to a threat to democracy, warning that they set a dangerous precedent. He called on the Head of State to emulate his predecessor, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who handed over power peacefully in 2022 despite publicly opposing Ruto’s candidacy.

“Remember, Uhuru told us about Ruto and told us not to vote for him; he warned that he would mess up this country,” Omtatah said.

“But when Ruto was declared winner through the Supreme Court — not the ballot — Uhuru did the honourable thing and handed over power. Ruto must now do the same when the time comes.”

Omtatah went further, launching a scathing attack on Ruto’s leadership style and governance. He accused the President of personalising state power, mismanaging public resources, and operating the government like a private enterprise.

“William Ruto is completely unhinged. He’s making decisions that defy logic and is running the country from his pocket. The budget doesn’t matter anymore,” Omtatah charged.

The future of Kenya

The senator also questioned the administration’s transparency regarding the state of public finances. Ruto and his allies have repeatedly claimed that the Kenya Kwanza government inherited empty coffers from their predecessors. However, Omtatah dismissed those assertions, challenging the President to provide evidence to support such claims.

“The government has a recorded system; if he claims he found empty coffers, where is the balance sheet?” he asked.

 “He has never produced one. Instead, look at the lavish lifestyles they got themselves into. Where was that money coming from?”

Omtatah warned that the direction the current administration is taking could lead the country into economic and political ruin, citing widespread corruption, disregard for constitutional principles, and increasingly authoritarian tendencies.

“The President wants to destroy this country, and he must be stopped. They say in my mother tongue, ‘the serpent’s eggs must not be allowed to hatch,” he alarmed.

His remarks come amid growing public dissatisfaction with the Ruto administration, particularly around issues of taxation, cost of living, and the management of public debt.

Civil society groups, opposition leaders, and a cross-section of Kenyans have raised alarm over what they describe as the shrinking democratic space and weakening of institutional checks and balances under the current government.

Omtatah, known for his legal activism and firm stance on constitutionalism, also hinted that he would not hesitate to take legal action should the presidency continue to disregard democratic norms.

“Kenyans must stay alert. Leadership is a trust, not a birthright,” he said. “We will not allow anyone — not even the President — to erode the hard-won democratic gains of this nation.”

Is Ruto clinging to power?

In his visit to Lugari constituency on Sunday, June 15, 2025, where he attended a church service, President Ruto stated that he will not hand over leadership to the Opposition, whom he claims have no clear plan for the country.

He described its leaders as disorganised, bitter, and solely fixated on removing him from office without offering any credible solutions to the country’s problems.

“Their only message is, ‘Ruto must go’. But how does that solve challenges in healthcare, education, or agriculture? They are angry and bitter, yet they have no plan. We cannot hand over leadership to such people,” he said.

He accused Opposition leaders, including Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa, Fred Matiang’i, and Martha Karua of lacking a national development agenda.

The honcho also accused the Opposition of fostering tribalism, division, and hatred, and of addressing Kenyans in an angry and harsh tone. He reiterated his commitment to fulfilling his administration’s development promises, issuing a stern warning that anyone attempting to obstruct the government’s agenda would be dealt with firmly.

“If they have a problem with me, they should come and face me. I will dismantle them. The important thing is to plan how to create jobs for our youth and improve education and healthcare. That should be the priority for Kakamega, Western Kenya, and the nation,” he said.