Willis Otieno urges Kenyans to stop treating government services as political favours
By Sharon Atieno, July 21, 2026Kenyans should demand accountability from leaders instead of treating basic government services as personal favours from politicians, lawyer and governance advocate Willis Otieno has said.
Otieno said roads, hospitals, schools, clean water, electricity, markets and security were funded by taxpayers and guaranteed by the Constitution, arguing that citizens should not feel indebted to leaders for providing them.
In a post shared on his X account on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Otieno said public officials were custodians of public resources and not benefactors using their personal wealth to develop the country.
Development is a constitutional right
“Kenyans must reject the dangerous idea that development is a favour bestowed by politicians,” Otieno said.
He said citizens should demand efficiency, integrity and value for their taxes instead of celebrating the delivery of basic government services as acts of generosity.
“The moment citizens begin celebrating basic government services as acts of generosity, accountability disappears, and politics becomes patronage,” he said.
Otieno’s remarks come amid growing debate over government spending, taxation and the delivery of public services.
Digital services raise access concerns
The government has continued to expand digital access to public services, with more than 22,000 services integrated into online platforms.
The shift includes plans for the Maisha Card digital identity system and the migration of birth and death certificate services to the eCitizen platform.
However, concerns have been raised over whether the rapid digitisation of government services could exclude millions of Kenyans without smartphones, reliable internet connectivity or digital literacy.
The debate has also extended to the cost of funding public services, with the Government defending the Finance Bill 2026 as necessary to raise resources for healthcare, education, infrastructure and security.
Government defends tax reforms
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the proposed Finance Bill sought to create a fair and sustainable tax system while supporting households and key sectors of the economy.
“The Finance Bill, 2026 introduces several progressive reforms designed to support households, businesses and key sectors of the economy,” Mwaura said.
The Government has defended proposed tax exemptions and relief measures targeting sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, housing, clean energy and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
However, Otieno maintained that the payment of taxes should strengthen the public’s demand for quality services rather than create a culture where citizens feel they owe political leaders personal loyalty for government projects.
“Development is not charity. It is your constitutional right,” he said.