Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has questioned the meaning of Kenya’s independence, arguing that the country cannot fully celebrate freedom while unresolved economic injustices rooted in colonial land theft continue to shape lives decades later.

In a statement shared on X on Friday, December 12, 2025, during Jamhuri Day celebrations, Ledama said the legacy of British colonial rule remains deeply embedded in Kenya’s economy, benefiting foreign companies and a small local elite while ordinary citizens continue to struggle.

He framed his remarks as a call for honest national reflection, especially on a day meant to celebrate freedom, sovereignty, and self-determination.

“Kenya can’t keep celebrating independence while ignoring this: Britain extracted over $150B through land grabs and plantations, and that legacy still enriches foreign firms and local elites,” Olekina said.

The senator argued that political independence alone did not dismantle the economic systems created during colonial rule, particularly those tied to land ownership and resource extraction. He said many communities were dispossessed of fertile land, forced into labour, and excluded from wealth generation, effects he believes are still visible today.

“Independence without economic justice is just a flag over someone else’s plantation,” he added.

Olekina’s comments touch on a long-running national debate around historical land injustices, reparations, and equitable access to resources. While Kenya gained independence in 1963, land ownership patterns established during colonialism were largely preserved, with many large estates and plantations remaining in the hands of multinational firms or politically connected individuals.

The Narok senator suggested that failing to confront this history weakens the true meaning of independence and undermines national unity.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m just thinking,” he said.

His remarks come at a time when conversations around economic justice, inequality, and historical accountability are gaining renewed attention, especially among younger Kenyans questioning whether independence delivered equal opportunity for all.

As the country marks another Jamhuri Day, the senator’s message challenges Kenyans to look beyond ceremonies and symbols, and instead ask whether the promise of independence has truly been fulfilled for every citizen.

Senator Ledama Olekina insists that without confronting the economic roots of inequality, independence risks remaining incomplete for millions of Kenyans.