Willis Otieno: Ruto appointed Faith Odhiambo to weaken her
By Mabonga Makhanu, September 8, 2025Politician and lawyer Willis Otieno now states that the president’s appointment of Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Faith Odhiambo as the vice chair of the Presidential Committee on Protest Victim Compensation was meant to weaken her public goodwill.
While speaking on Herman Manyora’s channel on Monday, September 8, 2025, he noted that Faith Odhiambo has in the past established herself as a human rights defender and justice seeker who has been at the forefront of defending Kenyans.
According to Willis, this goodwill has now been eroded and diluted through a strategic move by the current regime, which appointed her to the committee of experts for the compensation of protest victims.
However, despite Willis Otieno’s criticism, the former West Pokot Senator and ex-Information and Communication Minister, Samuel Poghisho, has rallied behind Faith Odhiambo.
“It’s meant to dilute her public goodwill; that is what the administration is doing to Faith. She has managed to be a beacon of hope and a representative of the people. She has stood steadfast in speaking truth to power, and the power is not comfortable. Their response is to find ways in which they can dilute her voice, and in this instance, they have succeeded,” Willis Otieno said.
According to Willis, since Faith Odhiambo had established herself as a beacon of hope for Kenyans, her steadfast and bold stance in speaking truth to power did not sit well with the authorities. Their response to her growing influence, he argued, was to find ways to curtail it.
He went on to state that the government has succeeded in its plan to dilute her goodwill, judging from the public uproar and dissent following her appointment.
Motive behind faith’s appointment
He further argued that if it was indeed necessary for the state to have a representative from the LSK, then it should have been the society itself to choose one of their own to represent them, rather than the president personally selecting Faith.
Willis also stated that the appointment was a bait to detach her from the masses who had been warming up to her, and unfortunately, Faith fell into the trap. He questioned why Kenyans did not protest when she was appointed to the committee handling femicide cases, yet raised their voices strongly regarding this new role.
“Because we have many people raising doubts about my dear sister, that is what William Ruto wanted. I don’t think that William am Ruto’s commitment could have been compensated because faith is not part of that committee; it was a bait that was meant to divorce her from the critical public masses that she represents.”