Lawyer Willis Otieno has expressed deep concern over Kenyans’ muted reaction to persistent multi-billion shilling corruption, following a report by The Standard on Monday highlighting widespread graft at both national and county levels.
Otieno lamented that despite a third of the national budget reportedly lost to corrupt practices, public outrage rarely extends beyond brief shock.
“Hospitals remain without medicine, schools crumble, farmers watch produce rot on impassable roads, and patients fundraise for treatment, all while those implicated in corruption scandals recycle through power untouched,” he said in response to the exposé.
The lawyer pointed to the repeated misuse of public funds at the county level, where governors have reportedly spent millions on lavish events, including Christmas trees, housewarming parties, and political rallies, while programs for small businesses and essential services suffer.
Such extravagance, Otieno warned, has become so commonplace that it no longer shocks citizens.
“The real tragedy is not just the theft but the growing normalization of it, where accountability feels optional and impunity institutionalized,” he added.
He urged that corruption must carry real, irreversible consequences, warning that otherwise, such headlines will continue to repeat without effect.
The Standard report highlighted the human cost of graft, noting failing public services, overstretched hospitals, overcrowded schools, and decaying infrastructure that leaves farmers unable to move produce to markets.
Citizens continue to bear the burden of high taxes, while officials accused of misappropriating public resources face little or no legal repercussions.