Omtatah launches data collection campaign

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has launched a comprehensive data collection campaign to understand the struggles of ordinary Kenyans under the Kenya Kwanza administration.

The initiative, which will cut across all 47 counties, will collect views from citizens, shedding light on the country's most pressing challenges and the potential reforms required.

The Busia senator says the initiative, which is already underway, has covered seven counties and is currently in the eighth.

"Today, we are doing the eighth county. We started in Kajiado County, and one of the things that totally cuts across has to do with healthcare. A lot of Kenyans are giving us their own horror stories of actually going to hospitals and not being treated because the SHA system is not working. The second thing is the high cost of living. People are saying that what they used to do with Ksh.1,000 just a few years ago now covers only half of what it used to. They are giving practical examples,” Presidential Exploratory Committee Strategist Dejay Bwakali said.

Student Entrepreneur Collin Kiptoo added, "We have gotten to a point where owning a business is almost a nightmare. I am saying this because of the high cost of licensing and the heavy taxation that the government has imposed on small business enterprises. I want to ask our government to look into these matters and enact policies that will be favourable to young people and members of society who have the ambition to venture into business."

The lawmaker is among the candidates who have expressed interest to dethrone President William Ruto come 2027.

Omtatah declared his ambition to ascend to the House on the Hill late last year, an announcement which excited and rattled many Kenyans due to his long track record of being the people’s defender.

For over a decade now, Omtatah has made his intentions clear - fighting for the masses, stopping government excesses, adhering to the rule of law, honouring political ideals and curbing government embezzlement.