Willis Otieno: Bomas of Kenya is an election crime scene
By Joel Masibo, November 30, 2025City lawyer Willis Otieno has argued that the Bomas of Kenya, a state-owned tourist village in Nairobi’s Lang’ata area, is an election crime scene.
Established in October 1971, Bomas of Kenya was mandated to preserve and promote cultural tourism, with showcases of different Kenyan traditional cultures in their authentic forms.
Purpose of the facility
Aside from the cultural functions, the place has always been the National Tallying Centre for the Kenyan elections over the years, including in 2022, where President William Ruto was declared the winner over his closest challenger, the late Raila Odinga.
The announcement at the Bomas of Kenya in August 2022 by the late Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati was characterised by chaos from the opposing teams.
”Bomas of Kenya has never been a mere tallying centre. It has always doubled as a crime scene, where votes are cooked, illegal top-ups are executed with impunity, and electoral crimes are committed under the safety of state protection. Until we confront that rot, every election will be a ritual of deceit, not democracy,” the city lawyer took to X on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
However, with the construction in progress, Willis Otieno has said the historical places carry electoral injustices, adding that it has never been a common national tallying centre. His sentiments come at a moment when the country is gearing up for the highly anticipated 2027 general election, where President William Ruto has already claimed he has no competition.
Historical injustices
Willis Otieno has suggested that until the country confronts the rot at the Bomas of Kenya, Kenya’s elections will be full of cheating, undermining the freedom and power of democracy.
Meanwhile, the new IEBC office, led by chairman Erastus Edung Ethokon, delivered its first election exercise on Thursday, November 27, 2025, by-elections observed across different parts of the country, with violence taking centre stage.