Willis Otieno slams govt, says Kenya is being run like a cartel
Outspoken lawyer and political analyst Willis Otieno has launched a scathing attack on the Kenya Kwanza administration, accusing it of running the country like a cartel while ordinary Kenyans sink deeper into poverty and despair.
In a blunt and impassioned statement issued via his official X account in the wee hours of Friday, July 18, 2025, Otieno painted a bleak picture of the nation’s state, accusing the regime of incompetence, insensitivity, and outright betrayal of the people’s trust.
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“Health sector—dead. Education—dead. Agriculture—abandoned. Youth empowerment—a cruel rumour. Public transport—privatised to hell,” Otieno began, listing what he called the catastrophic collapse of key sectors under the current leadership.
Weaponising vital institutions
He went on to accuse the government of weaponising and politicising vital institutions. “Justice system—captured and timid. Housing agenda—a tax scam in disguise. Security—politicised and brutal,” he said, referring to the police response to recent public protests and the controversial mandatory housing levy.
Otieno further criticised the regime’s economic handling, decrying the unbearable cost of living, stagnant wages, and unchecked corruption.
In perhaps his most stinging rebuke, Otieno accused the leadership of being completely detached from the suffering of citizens.
“Kenya is being run like a cartel; the regime dares to tell us to tighten our belts while they fly in private jets and mock our pain,” he stated.
Otieno critiques Ruto
His remarks come just hours after he delivered another scathing critique of President William Ruto’s leadership style, accusing him of being cocooned in privilege and denial about the country’s worsening economic and political crisis.
In a statement on his X account on Thursday, July 17, 2025, Otieno reflected mounting public frustration with the Kenya Kwanza administration. He said the president has grown increasingly out of touch with the reality on the ground, especially in the wake of deadly anti-government protests led by the youth.
“President Ruto is cocooned in privilege. He’s surrounded by people who tell him what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear,” Otieno stated.
“He’s not listening to the cries of the youth, the cries of families burying their children, or the cries of a country in pain.”
Otieno further described the Head of State as a leader in denial, unwilling to acknowledge the scale of the economic hardship and social unrest gripping the country.
“He continues to act like everything is normal. He refuses to accept that his policies have pushed people into the streets. That’s not just poor leadership; that’s dangerous.”
