Willis Otieno: You cannot build country on theft and impulse
Lawyer and politician Willis Otieno has criticised the government for what he termed as a lack of integrity, accountability, and strategic planning in the management of public affairs.
In a statement shared on his X account on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, Otieno said Kenya could not achieve first-world status while corruption continued to define governance.
You might also like
Also watch: Willis Otieno demands answers over missing Ksh. 40M SHA funds
He argued that no country had ever developed where theft was tolerated, honest leaders were mocked, and accountability was optional.
“Kenya cannot aspire to first-world status while corruption remains the organising principle of government. No nation has ever developed where theft is rewarded, integrity is mocked, and accountability is treated as optional. These so-called “new experiments” in governance are disjointed, incoherent, and fundamentally detached from county realities,” Otieno stated.
Otieno said recent government initiatives appeared disjointed and lacked a clear plan to deliver meaningful impact. According to him, the country’s leadership was focused on publicity rather than real progress, with policies often driven by headlines instead of evidence-based planning.
He added that true development required deliberate effort, sound planning, and disciplined execution supported by functional institutions.
Otieno further questioned how the government expected to build a strong economy when public funds were being misused, counties were deprived of resources, and citizens’ input in governance was ignored.
Also watch: Willis Otieno slams sugar factory lease amid job crisis
The politician urged leaders to prioritise transparency and effective management of resources if Kenya was to achieve sustainable development.
“There’s no strategic anchor, just impulsive, headline-driven initiatives with no measurable impact. You cannot modernise a country through guesswork and PR. Development is not a performance; it is a deliberate process rooted in sound planning, disciplined execution, and a functional institutional framework,” the politician said.
Adding
“But how do you build a strong economy when public resources are looted at source, counties are starved of funds, and public participation is treated as a nuisance?”
