Maraga, Omtatah, and Kigame slam Ruto’s 8 bills in a bold Nairobi showdown that’s cranking up the heat on President William Ruto’s administration, just as the nation still reels from Raila Odinga’s heartbreaking death.
The unlikely trio – ex-Chief Justice David Maraga, firebrand lawyer Okiya Omtatah, and gospel crooner Reuben Kigame – packed a downtown conference room this afternoon, microphones hot and eyes fierce, to rip into the eight controversial laws Ruto inked on October 15, the very day Odinga slipped away amid waves of national sorrow.
“This wasn’t governance; it was a gut punch to our grieving soul,” Maraga thundered, his baritone echoing off the walls like a Supreme Court gavel, as the crowd of journos and activists leaned in, sensing the storm clouds gathering for 2027’s political rumble.
The presser, billed as a “call to conscience”, zeroed in on the bills’ sneaky rollout: land reforms that critics say greenlight elite land grabs under the guise of efficiency; taxation tweaks hiking levies on the already squeezed middle class; privatisation pushes handing public gems like Kenya Power to cronies; digital asset regs that could muzzle crypto innovators with red tape; revenue collection overhauls empowering KRA to snoop deeper into pockets; road maintenance mandates slashing county budgets; anti-corruption probes neutered by loopholes for “national security”; and wildlife protections watered down, risking poacher playgrounds in Maasai Mara.
Omtatah, sleeves rolled up like a courtroom brawler, waved a dog-eared constitution: “These aren’t laws; they’re landmines for rights.
Signed in mourning’s shadow? That’s not leadership – that’s a low blow.” Kigame, strumming an acoustic guitar for dramatic flair, belted out an impromptu verse: “Ruto’s ink runs red with our trust – time to rewrite the blues.”
This alliance isn’t random; it’s a seismic shift in Kenya’s opposition mosaic. Maraga, 75 and retired but revered for his 2017 election annulment gutsiness, brings judicial gravitas.
Omtatah, the Busia boy who sues the state for breakfast, packs street cred from endless PILs. Kigame, a 60-something soul-stirrer whose anthems fuelled the ’90s revival, adds moral melody – all eyeing the presidency as Ruto’s approval dips below 40% in fresh Infotrak polls.
“We’re not auditioning for Uhuru’s old throne; we’re building a new Kenya,” Kigame quipped, dodging direct 2027 jabs but fuelling speculation of a “third force” pact.
Insiders whisper the timing’s tactical: Odinga’s void leaves Azimio wobbly, and this salvo could poach Luo and evangelical votes while courting Gen Z’s anti-hustler rage. Ruto’s camp fired back swiftly.
State House mouthpiece Hussein Mohamed shrugged it off as “sour grapes from has-beens”, touting the bills as “bottom-up boosters” for jobs and green growth. But the optics sting – signing amid black armbands and funeral dirges? Petitions are piling at the High Court, with Omtatah vowing injunctions by week’s end.
As Nairobi’s dusk traffic snarls, this presser feels like Act One of a larger opera. With IEBC whispers of early primaries and economic tremors from global rate hikes, the trio’s challenge spotlights a republic at riff: Does Ruto’s vision vault Kenya forward or vault over its people?
Maraga wrapped up with a plea straight from the heart: “Accountability isn’t optional – it’s our oxygen.” In a land where politics pulses like matatu beats, expect echoes in every by-election. Who’s tuning in for the remix?