Omtatah urges Kenyans to stop treating politicians as ‘walking banks’
Busia Senator and one of the 2027 presidential hopefuls, Okiya Omtatah, has slammed leaders who join politics to enrich themselves instead of serving the people.
In a video he shared on his X handle on Thursday, August 28, 2025, Omtatah urged Kenyans to rethink their expectations of elected officials and stop treating them as walking banks.
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According to him, politics in Kenya has lost its essence because leaders view it as a business venture rather than a call to service.
He regretted that many aspirants enter politics with the sole aim of making money, which compromises their integrity once in office.
“Politics is a service and not a career. People should come to politics to serve, not to make money. Everyone in this country thinks that when you join politics, you have struck gold.
“People see you as a money-making machine. Everyone comes begging money from you; this makes one compromise or become a thief,” Omtatah said.
Need for civic education
The outspoken senator argued that the culture of associating politicians with money is partly to blame for runaway corruption.
He insisted that the masses themselves demand hand-outs, forcing leaders to look for alternative ways of raising cash, often through corrupt means.
“In your oversight role, sometimes you are compromised to take money because you have some expectations to meet there. We need to do civic education for the masses. A politician is not a welfare system; it should be a servant,” he explained.
Omtatah added that separating the treasury from the control of politicians would be a bold step towards curbing theft of public resources.
“The idea of associating a politician with money is something we must kill by separating the treasury from the control of politicians. Politics should be equal to ideas for progress,” he said.
Broader political context
His sentiments come at a time when corruption in government remains a central debate, with President William Ruto recently accusing some Members of Parliament of taking bribes.
The remarks have triggered intense discussions on accountability, and Omtatah’s message appears to align with calls for leaders to demonstrate integrity rather than accumulate wealth.
