Constitutional lawyer and governance advocate Willis Otieno has condemned the use of armed groups in political and public spaces following a series of attacks linked to senior political figures.

In an X statement posted on May 3, 2026, Otieno criticised what he described as the normalisation of “goons” being used to intimidate or protect political leaders, warning that such conduct undermines the rule of law.

Otieno made the remarks in response to a recent incident of an attack on senior opposition leaders, which has since triggered public debate over political tolerance and security practices in the country.

“Why should a ‘Professor’ be swaggering around with armed goons? This isn’t ancient Rome, and he’s not a warlord. A title that supposedly signifies intellectual authority and adherence to scholarship inherently clashes with the spectacle of surrounding oneself with private muscle,” Otieno wrote.

He argued that individuals holding high academic and public office titles should embody restraint and democratic values rather than rely on displays of force.

Orengo Seme incident

This comes after Siaya Governor James Orengo moved to clarify reports surrounding the disruption at a funeral in Seme, Kisumu County, insisting that he was not forced out of the event.

In a post on Saturday, May 2, 2026, the governor said he left the burial ceremony voluntarily and dismissed media reports claiming he was chased from the venue.

The clarification comes after chaos erupted during the burial of the father of Seme MP James Nyikal, where tensions flared, and sections of mourners reportedly demanded that the Siaya governor exit before proceedings continued.

“We did not leave because we were chased”, Orengo wrote on X.

In the post addressing the incident, Orengo firmly rejected claims of intimidation.

“Contrary to the misreporting, we did not leave the venue because we were ‘chased’. We departed because the presiding bishop and Seme MP James Nyikal had already left to proceed with the burial of his father,” Orengo stated.

He emphasised that his presence at the funeral was strictly for condolence purposes.

“Our sole purpose for attending was to offer our condolences and stand in solidarity with the family,” he added.

End goonism

This comes days after opposition leaders condemned the rising political goonism ahead of the 2027 polls. Jubilee deputy party leader Fred Matiang’i raised an alarm on rising incidents of violence and politically linked goonism, vowing to restore law and order if elected Head of State.

Speaking in Nyamira on Friday, April 24, 2026, during a meeting with the outfits’ aspirants drawn from Nyamira and Kisii counties, Matiang’i said basic services are faltering, and insecurity is creeping into everyday life.

“Hatuwezi kufika mahali eti watoto hawaendi shule, sijui matibabu hakuna, hakuna chakula kwa hospitali, watu wanapigwa kila siku,” he said, decrying what he described as a breakdown of essential systems and public safety.