Willis Otieno calls for Judiciary and Parliament to be insulated from political interference
Lawyer and political commentator Willis Otieno has called for the protection of Kenya’s key government institutions from political interference, saying this is the only way to safeguard democracy and uphold the rule of law.
In a hard-hitting statement shared via his X account on Thursday, July 31, 2025, he warned that important institutions, such as the Judiciary, Parliament, independent commissions, and anti-corruption bodies, must be protected from political control. According to Otieno, these bodies should serve the interests of the people, not those of the government in power.
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“To truly uphold the rule of law, institutions like the Judiciary, anti-corruption bodies, Parliament, and independent commissions must be insulated from political manipulation. They must serve the Republic and not regimes,” he stated.
He took a swipe at Parliament, accusing it of being too compromised to hold the Executive to account. He claimed that Members of Parliament have been silenced by the influence of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), which makes them reluctant to question the government.
“Parliament is too compromised by NG-CDF handouts to ask real questions. They can’t even summon the courage to demand transparency on something as basic as State House renovations,” Otieno added.
The political commentator also urged Kenyans to reject tribal politics and demand better leadership. He said the country’s future lies in electing leaders who value integrity, transparency, and issue-based governance, not those who rely on handouts or personal loyalty.
“Kenyan citizens must rise above tribal loyalties and tokenistic politics. The future will not be secured by handouts or hero-worship, but by demanding leaders who uphold integrity, transparency, and issue-based governance,” Otieno said.
This comes a day after he criticised Parliament for failing to enact a law that allows citizens to recall underperforming MPs and Senators.
His remarks followed a statement by the IEBC, which confirmed that despite Article 104 of the Constitution, there is currently no legal framework to recall national leaders.
In a fiery post on X dated Wednesday, July 30, 2025, Otieno accused Parliament of deliberately blocking efforts to hold MPs and Senators accountable mid-term.
“They walk around thumping their chests like untouchable kings, yet they’ve blocked the one tool that allows you to hold them accountable, the right of recall,” he wrote.
“Why should MCAs be subject to recall and not MPs? What makes them so special?” he posed.
He challenged the public to question why Parliament continues to avoid enacting such legislation, suggesting it fears accountability.
