Willis Otieno urges issue-based voting over fear and loyalty
By Emmanuel Rono, March 19, 2026Renowned advocate and political commentator Willis Otieno has criticised Kenya’s electoral culture, urging citizens to abandon tribal loyalty and empty promises in favour of a radical shift toward accountability.
Taking to his X account on March 18, 2026, Otieno argued that Kenya’s stagnation is not a lack of resources but a direct consequence of a political system that actively “rewards failure”.
“The most honourable thing you can do as a Kenyan is stop voting out of fear, tribal loyalty, or empty promises and start voting based on results,” Otieno wrote.
He criticized the country’s political culture, stating that Kenya’s problems are not due to a lack of potential, but rather to poor leadership and a system that rewards failure.
Empty promises
Otieno said that in every election, Kenyans are given empty promises instead of planning for solutions, adding that the cost of living rises as opportunities disappear.
“This country is not short of potential; it is suffocated by poor leadership, broken promises, and a system that rewards failure. Every election, we are given speeches and insults instead of solutions while the cost of living rises and opportunities disappear,” Otieno stated.
Otieno emphasized what the ballot means to the voters, encouraging them to think of their vote not as a ritual, but as a weapon against bad government.
He appealed to the electorate to use their votes well in rejecting all those giving excuses instead of developments.
Your vote is a weapon
“Your vote is not a ritual. It is a weapon against incompetence, corruption, and arrogance in leadership. Use it to reject anyone who treats Kenyans with contempt, who offers excuses instead of answers, and who governs without accountability,” Otieno said.
Otieno told voters to put results and honesty first when making decisions about who to vote for. He said that real change can only happen when leaders are held accountable through the ballot.
“Real patriotism is not cheering leaders, but it is holding them accountable and removing them when they fail,” Otieno said.