Kenya Insights

Tag: Willis Otieno

  • ‘Piki Piki Ponki’ Lawyer Explains Why Kenya’s Next Presidential Election Should Be Held In August 2026, Not 2027

    ‘Piki Piki Ponki’ Lawyer Explains Why Kenya’s Next Presidential Election Should Be Held In August 2026, Not 2027

    Constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno has sparked fresh debate the next presidential election asserting that the State House race should be held in August 2026—not 2027 as widely expected.

    Citing Article 136(2)(a) of the Constitution, Otieno argues that the requirement presidential elections occur “on the second Tuesday in August, in every fifth year,” overrules the expectation that a presidential term should last a maximum five years.

    He emphasizes that the phrase “in every fifth year” means elections should be held within, not after, the fifth year following the last election.

    “The Constitution is very clear—elections are to be held in the fifth year, not after five years. That means August 2026, not 2027,” Otieno argued in a post on Friday.

    Otieno, known from his famous ‘piki piki ponki paka mielo disco‘ rant during the 2022 presidential election petition at the Supreme Court, argued that having held an election on August 9, 2022, Kenya should hold the next election on August 11, 2026—the second Tuesday of August in the fifth year since the last poll.

    “We have a constitutional calendar, not a political one. The idea that we can extend terms based on swearing-in dates goes against the letter and spirit of the Constitution,” he stated.

    The lawyer also drew on historical precedents to support his claim, noting that President Uhuru Kenyatta assumed office on April 9, 2013, yet the next election occurred on August 8, 2017—before the completion of a five-year term.

    A similar pattern followed Kenyatta’s second term, which began on November 28, 2017, but ended with elections held on August 9, 2022.

    Presidential term

    Otieno’s stance has reignited discussions about the tension between Article 136, which governs election dates, and Article 142(1), which outlines presidential terms.

    Critics argue that the five-year term of a president should guide the electoral timeline, potentially pushing the next election to 2027 to complete the full term from the 2022 swearing-in.

    Economist Mohamed Wehliye, among others, challenged Otieno’s interpretation.

    “Is the fifth year a calendar year or does it refer to the fifth anniversary of the election? A strict reading would require judicial interpretation,” he contended.

    Otieno remained firm in his view, warning against what he calls “term extension by calendar manipulation.”

    “We’re a Republic, not a dynasty. If your only path to power is extending terms through calendar tricks, then you’ve already lost the people,” he declared.

    It was not clear whether Otieno would move to the Constitutional Court for judicial interpretation to clear the matter.

  • Willis Otieno: How Ruto Sabotaged Raila’s AU Bid to Kill His Influence

    Willis Otieno: How Ruto Sabotaged Raila’s AU Bid to Kill His Influence

    In a fiery interview on Citizen TV’s panel discussion hosted by Trevor Ombija, Willis Otieno, the Deputy Leader of the Safina Party, launched a scathing attack on President William Ruto, accusing him of orchestrating Raila Odinga’s failure to secure the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship.

    Otieno, a vocal political analyst and lawyer, argued that Ruto’s personal interests and diplomatic missteps cost Kenya the prestigious continental position, which he believed was Raila’s for the taking.

    Ruto’s Diplomatic Missteps and the SADC Factor

    Otieno pointed to Kenya’s strained relations with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as a critical factor in Raila’s loss. He claimed that Kenya’s controversial stance on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which contradicted SADC’s position, alienated key regional allies. “We lost this election the moment we lost SADC,” Otieno asserted. “And we lost SADC purely because Kenya had taken a position in the DRC that was contrary to the SADC position.”

    He placed the blame squarely on President Ruto, stating, “The person who must take ultimate political responsibility for the failure of the Kenyan state is William Ruto. What went wrong is William Ruto failed the people of Kenya in terms of his diplomatic maneuvers and his personal interests.”

    Ruto’s Calculated Campaign Against Raila

    Otieno went further, alleging that Ruto actively worked to undermine Raila’s continental influence. He claimed that Ruto orchestrated a calculated campaign within the African Union to diminish Raila’s diplomatic stature, including lobbying against his continued tenure as the AU High Representative for Infrastructure. “In a decisive maneuver, he formally petitioned the AU to rescind Raila’s appointment as the High Representative for Infrastructure, a role he had occupied since 2018,” Otieno revealed.

    This move, according to Otieno, was not just a political maneuver but a clear indication of Ruto’s determination to curtail Raila’s influence beyond Kenya’s borders. “Actively working to have Raila removed from an international role underscores the lingering political rivalry between them, despite their public gestures of reconciliation,” he said.

    Personal Interests Over National Interests

    Otieno accused Ruto of prioritizing his personal interests over Kenya’s national interests. He argued that Ruto saw Raila’s potential AU victory as a threat to his local political support base. “William Ruto saw this as an opportunity to pursue personal interests, and the personal interest was that if Raila were to win in the AU, he would be able to bring himself to get his local political support base,” Otieno explained.

    He painted a vivid picture of Ruto’s hypothetical reaction to a Raila victory: “I do believe that if Raila were declared the winner, William Ruto’s presidential jet would have landed at Kisumu Airport, he would have done a rally at Kondele to just create a national wave that would help him gain that constituency.”

    A Rejection of Ruto’s Leadership

    Otieno also criticized Ruto’s leadership style, suggesting that the AU bid was more about Ruto than Raila. “I do not take it that this was a Raila election; the person who was on the ballot at the AU was William Ruto,” he said. “We had in the municipal realm rejected him, he took himself to the continent hiding behind Raila Odinga, and the continent also rejected him.”

    He called for a shake-up in Kenya’s diplomatic leadership, particularly targeting Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. “Musalia Mudavadi needs to be fired. The gaps that we have had in the Foreign Ministry are not serving the interests of this nation at all. There should be a change in the leadership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Otieno declared.

    Otieno’s remarks raise broader questions about Kenya’s diplomatic positioning within the AU. Was Ruto’s opposition to Raila driven purely by local political calculations, or was he aligning with other regional interests? Otieno suggested that Ruto’s actions signaled a perception of Raila not just as a domestic competitor but as a figure whose influence needed to be neutralized at a continental level.

    Ultimately, Otieno’s narrative paints a picture of a missed opportunity for Kenya, one that was squandered by internal political rivalries and diplomatic missteps.

  • Orengo: High Court Ruling Nullifies 2022 Election Results, Azimio Should Take Rightful Place As Majority in Parliament

    Orengo: High Court Ruling Nullifies 2022 Election Results, Azimio Should Take Rightful Place As Majority in Parliament

    Members of Parliament affiliated with the Azimio coalition have been called upon to assert their rightful place in the National Assembly following a recent court ruling in their favor as the majority coalition.

    This comes after a High Court decision on February 7, 2025, overturned National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula’s October 6, 2022, declaration that President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza coalition held the majority in parliament.

    Siaya Governor James Orengo urged Azimio MPs (especially those from the ODM party) to act and reclaim their rightful position in parliament.

    “I want to remind my party, ODM, that this court decision must not be ignored. Azimio has been declared the majority—do not let this slip away. Instead of sitting at the table with those in power, take what rightfully belongs to you,” Orengo asserted.

    Speaking during the burial of Richard Ochieng’ Oloo, father to popular lawyer Willis Otieno, he welcomed the ruling, arguing that it further casts doubt on the legitimacy of the 2022 presidential election results.

    “What the High Court has affirmed is proof that the election results announced in 2022 were not accurate. How could Raila’s party and coalition secure the majority of parliamentary seats yet lose the presidency? This ruling confirms the inconsistencies,” Orengo stated on Saturday.

    The veteran ODM politician cautioned Azimio leaders against negotiating with Kenya Kwanza over the matter, insisting that they must stand firm and claim their majority status.

    This comes even Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has convened a Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting for Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya on Wednesday next week.

    “I spoke to Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta. We want an Azimio PG so that we can plan. The situation is that Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya is the majority party,” he stated.

    “On Wednesday, we want a Parliamentary Group meeting after you have met on Tuesday so that we can organize ourselves,” Musyoka said while addressing mourners at a funeral in Kitui.

    The former Vice President opined that the decision served as a lesson for former Azimio politicians who defected to Kenya Kwanza, questioning their faith and belief in the coalition.

    “Those who were praising Ruto, I know you are feeling awkward; you could have been patient and waited. These friends who ran to join Ruto, I suggest they do some introspection,” he remarked.