Lawyer Willis Otieno has raised fresh concerns over what he terms as excessive public spending on political activities, warning that the scale of alleged handouts and patronage could be draining billions from the national coffers.
Otieno argued that the sustainability of the current political system is heavily dependent on continuous financial outflows to supporters, describing the model as hollow without such incentives.
“Remove the handouts and political patronage from this regime, and you’ll see just how hollow it really is. The scale of public waste is staggering,” he said.
Otieno outlined a hypothetical scenario to illustrate the magnitude of expenditure, claiming that frequent large-scale gatherings at State House could translate into significant financial commitments.
“If State House hosts 10,000 people twice every week for an entire year, the cash facilitation alone would amount to roughly KSh 10.4 billion,” he said.
He added that the estimate only captures direct payments to attendees and excludes other associated costs such as catering, transport, security, tents, logistics, and payments to organisers and political mobilisers.
“And that’s just State House. It doesn’t include the endless ‘empowerment’ events across the country,” Otieno noted.
The lawyer further compared the estimated expenditure to county allocations, arguing that the figures surpass annual equitable share disbursements to several devolved units.
“To put that into perspective, KSh 10.4 billion exceeds the annual equitable share allocated to several counties, including Lamu, Tharaka Nithi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Isiolo, Taita Taveta, Vihiga, Nyamira, Samburu, and others,” he said.
Otieno questioned the prioritisation of public resources, urging a shift toward development-focused spending that directly benefits citizens.
“Imagine what that money could achieve if invested in classrooms, hospitals, water projects, agricultural support, or jobs instead of political spectacle,” he said.
His remarks come amid ongoing public debate over government expenditure, with critics increasingly calling for transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayer funds.
Otieno urged citizens to remain vigilant and demand prudent management of public resources, warning that continued waste could have long-term economic consequences.
“We have an obligation, as citizens, to save our country from a culture of waste that mortgages our future,” he said.