If elected in 2027as President, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah says the first thing he will do as president is cut the link between State House and the National Treasury.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV’s The Explainer on Tuesday night, Omtatah declared that his top priority would be to end what he called the “imperial presidency.” He argued that too much power is concentrated in the office of the president especially when it comes to managing public money.
“In my first 90 to 100 days, I would break the system where the President controls both money and executive power,” he said. “It’s not right for one person to hold both the knife and the cake.”
A Constitution-First Approach
Omtatah says his plan is grounded in Kenya’s Constitution. He pointed to Article 225(1), which speaks about public finance control and called for the creation of an independent Treasury that is not under the Executive branch.
“You can’t have a devolved system of government and then put the National Treasury inside the Executive,” he said. “That’s where all our problems begin.”
He also criticised how development projects are currently rolled out, saying they’re often based on politics instead of real needs. According to him, areas seen as politically aligned with the president get more funding while others wait or are ignored.
“We now hear that Luo Nyanza is finally getting development because they’ve joined the so-called broad-based government,” he said. “That’s not how a democracy should work.”
A Different Kind of Campaign
Omtatah says he’s not running out of ambition or pride, but because “there’s a job that needs to be done.”
“I’m not doing this because I want a position,” he told the host. “I feel called to act, because we’re facing a crisis as a country.”
He revealed that a presidential exploratory committee is already on the ground, assessing whether Kenyans are ready for his candidacy. The team has visited 31 counties so far and has 16 more to go.
“I want to be scientific about this,” he added. “We will only make the next move based on real feedback from the people.”
Draining the Swamp?
To stop what he sees as financial misuse, Omtatah proposes a clean, simple structure: money must be approved by Parliament, and only released with consent from the Controller of Budget.
“This way, we drain the swamp,” he said.
He believes this would end the trend of MPs showing up at presidential events to beg for roads, bursaries, or water projects.
“That’s not leadership. That’s theatre.”
Rising Political Heat
With the 2027 presidential race slowly taking shape, Omtatah’s bold statements mark him as a serious contender. He joins a growing list of opposition leaders pushing for reform and a reset of national leadership.
Still, while many see him as a principled fighter, others question whether his ideas though well-grounded can survive Kenya’s tough political terrain.
Either way, his message is clear: if elected, expect a leader who wants to start by unplugging the State from its money tap.
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