BY PATRICK WANYONYI
Its 10 am in the Morning at Mungathi junction Teso South Busia County
where I find a motor bike to bring me down a dusty road for more than
an hour to the home of abrasive Kenyan legal petitioner in Chief
Okiya Omtatah.
The small village he lives in is called Kwangamur.
I am very surprised upon alighting to set my eyes on a state of the
art, newly built, three story building with another house next door on
the same large plot.
Goddy the bodaboda operator tells me “This is Okiya’s home. He has two
wives – one is called Carro Orobi Omtatah and the other is called
Emmah Wambura Omtatah. His mother lives here and so does one of the
wives”
Omtatah’s 78 year old mother Wilhelmina Masai Okoti came out to
great us in the Luhya dielect 'Muriena Vijana' which means “how are
you young men.”
Okoti, 78, who is a staunch Catholic believer talked about her son
fondly. “He is a God-fearing man from a humble background” she says.
She describes Okiya as a dedicated and intelligent person who used to
herd cattle during his teenage years.
She talks of how some of his friends from the village started to read
about the high-profile cases he was bringing to the court and
wondering how he had managed to develop his mind in this way.
“People here, they knew him as a mechanic and a teacher – not a
lawyer. I don’t’ know where he got the courage to stand before high
people and try to bring them down. I see him on TV, hear him on the
radio and see the stories. I can only pray for him that he achieves
his goals” she says.
She confirms that he has two wives and four children and comes to the
family home every month by bus from Nairobi. “He comes to see me but
also to monitor the ongoing building work on his houses.”
Another person from the village confirms with me that when he comes he
is received like a king, “We call him Senator because last year he
contested the Busia Senatorial race against the previous long serving
attorney General – Amos Wako – who has served under Moi”
Omtatah was born in Busia County on 30th November ,1964. The activist
joined St. Pauls’ Secondary School for form 1 and 2. It is there that
he met a missionary priest who had a great influence on his
convictions.
He later joined St. Peters School in Mukumu for where he passed his O
levels and then his A levels, finishing in 1963.
Omtatah was later admitted to The University of Nairobi to study for a
Bachelor of Commerce degree but he declined the offer and instead
joined St. Augustine in Mabanga, Bungoma where he pursued a Diploma in
Philosophy. At St.Augustine Mabanga,he was diagnosed with grand mal
after he suffered from a fatal injury - he was nearly diagnosed as
clinically insane.
He went on to join Kenya Polytechnic and graduated two years later
with a diploma in Mechanical and Automobile Engineering. It’s after
this graduation that he started his activism and this has become his
life’s purpose.
He has sued over 1,000 personalities and appeared in court more than
any other Kenyan, even the judges themselves.
His name is about to enter into the Guinness Books of Records as the
one person who has filed the highest number of cases in court. This
has left members of the legal profession in Kenya astounded and
bemused.
Members of the West Kenya Law Society have come out breathing fire,
denouncing Omtata and saying that he is not one of them. Council
Chairman of West Kenya Law Society, Sam Onyango believes that Omtata
is working on behalf of people wanting to bring the cases to court,
“Omtata acts at the behest of other people and is being supported to
do so – this is a disgrace.”
He believes that Omtata’s activities should be probed to see if he is
doing them for commercial purposes. He says Omatata has never been
admitted as an advocate of the high court. “That fellow is just an
activist who has passion in whatever he is doing, He is doing a good
job nonetheless” he concludes.
“You can quote me on that” he says with laughter.
The CEO of Consumer Federation of Kenya (cofek), Stephen Mutoro
wondered why Omtata interest was only pegged on high profile cases a
move he noted would easily justify the common notion that he was being
bankrolled by other bodies behind the curtains.
However former President of the East Africa Law society James Aggrey
Mwamu says the constitution allows Omtata to file cases the way he has
been doing them.
Mwamu has instead persuaded Omtata to make public those behind the
high profile cases and how he personally benefited.
His critics strongly believe that there’s a growing dark side to his
activism; an increasing need for money to fund his lavish lifestyle
that is at odds with his image as a man of the people.
Sadly it does seem that his noble beginnings have got gravely
distorted by his need for money to support his two wives, four
children and the building of expensive houses in his homeland.
But when contacted by this writer, Omtata rubbished his critics and in
a text message declared ‘I don’t respond to non issues.Follow the
evidence you have and you will get the truth.’’.
The text continued: ‘right now Kenyans have raised dome ksh. 500k
through mpesa of 10/ to support the case I have filled against the
Finance Act 2018.Is that wrong?’’
Omtata vied for the Busia Senatorial seat but lost dismally to the
current holder of the office, Amos Wako, who is a former long serving
attorney general in the republic of Kenya.
According to local people like Malala Otiata the activist Omtatah has
all along been a Nairobi city dweller who has not been seen at
home.“How do you elect someone who has never even constructed toilets
for his people? He poses with a smile on his face.”
Its 10 am in the Morning at Mungathi junction Teso South Busia County
where I find a motor bike to bring me down a dusty road for more than
an hour to the home of abrasive Kenyan legal petitioner in Chief
Okiya Omtatah.
The small village he lives in is called Kwangamur.
I am very surprised upon alighting to set my eyes on a state of the
art, newly built, three story building with another house next door on
the same large plot.
Goddy the bodaboda operator tells me “This is Okiya’s home. He has two
wives – one is called Carro Orobi Omtatah and the other is called
Emmah Wambura Omtatah. His mother lives here and so does one of the
wives”
Omtatah’s 78 year old mother Wilhelmina Masai Okoti came out to
great us in the Luhya dielect 'Muriena Vijana' which means “how are
you young men.”
Okoti, 78, who is a staunch Catholic believer talked about her son
fondly. “He is a God-fearing man from a humble background” she says.
She describes Okiya as a dedicated and intelligent person who used to
herd cattle during his teenage years.
She talks of how some of his friends from the village started to read
about the high-profile cases he was bringing to the court and
wondering how he had managed to develop his mind in this way.
“People here, they knew him as a mechanic and a teacher – not a
lawyer. I don’t’ know where he got the courage to stand before high
people and try to bring them down. I see him on TV, hear him on the
radio and see the stories. I can only pray for him that he achieves
his goals” she says.
She confirms that he has two wives and four children and comes to the
family home every month by bus from Nairobi. “He comes to see me but
also to monitor the ongoing building work on his houses.”
Another person from the village confirms with me that when he comes he
is received like a king, “We call him Senator because last year he
contested the Busia Senatorial race against the previous long serving
attorney General – Amos Wako – who has served under Moi”
Omtatah was born in Busia County on 30th November ,1964. The activist
joined St. Pauls’ Secondary School for form 1 and 2. It is there that
he met a missionary priest who had a great influence on his
convictions.
He later joined St. Peters School in Mukumu for where he passed his O
levels and then his A levels, finishing in 1963.
Omtatah was later admitted to The University of Nairobi to study for a
Bachelor of Commerce degree but he declined the offer and instead
joined St. Augustine in Mabanga, Bungoma where he pursued a Diploma in
Philosophy. At St.Augustine Mabanga,he was diagnosed with grand mal
after he suffered from a fatal injury - he was nearly diagnosed as
clinically insane.
He went on to join Kenya Polytechnic and graduated two years later
with a diploma in Mechanical and Automobile Engineering. It’s after
this graduation that he started his activism and this has become his
life’s purpose.
He has sued over 1,000 personalities and appeared in court more than
any other Kenyan, even the judges themselves.
His name is about to enter into the Guinness Books of Records as the
one person who has filed the highest number of cases in court. This
has left members of the legal profession in Kenya astounded and
bemused.
Members of the West Kenya Law Society have come out breathing fire,
denouncing Omtata and saying that he is not one of them. Council
Chairman of West Kenya Law Society, Sam Onyango believes that Omtata
is working on behalf of people wanting to bring the cases to court,
“Omtata acts at the behest of other people and is being supported to
do so – this is a disgrace.”
He believes that Omtata’s activities should be probed to see if he is
doing them for commercial purposes. He says Omatata has never been
admitted as an advocate of the high court. “That fellow is just an
activist who has passion in whatever he is doing, He is doing a good
job nonetheless” he concludes.
“You can quote me on that” he says with laughter.
The CEO of Consumer Federation of Kenya (cofek), Stephen Mutoro
wondered why Omtata interest was only pegged on high profile cases a
move he noted would easily justify the common notion that he was being
bankrolled by other bodies behind the curtains.
However former President of the East Africa Law society James Aggrey
Mwamu says the constitution allows Omtata to file cases the way he has
been doing them.
Mwamu has instead persuaded Omtata to make public those behind the
high profile cases and how he personally benefited.
His critics strongly believe that there’s a growing dark side to his
activism; an increasing need for money to fund his lavish lifestyle
that is at odds with his image as a man of the people.
Sadly it does seem that his noble beginnings have got gravely
distorted by his need for money to support his two wives, four
children and the building of expensive houses in his homeland.
But when contacted by this writer, Omtata rubbished his critics and in
a text message declared ‘I don’t respond to non issues.Follow the
evidence you have and you will get the truth.’’.
The text continued: ‘right now Kenyans have raised dome ksh. 500k
through mpesa of 10/ to support the case I have filled against the
Finance Act 2018.Is that wrong?’’
Omtata vied for the Busia Senatorial seat but lost dismally to the
current holder of the office, Amos Wako, who is a former long serving
attorney general in the republic of Kenya.
According to local people like Malala Otiata the activist Omtatah has
all along been a Nairobi city dweller who has not been seen at
home.“How do you elect someone who has never even constructed toilets
for his people? He poses with a smile on his face.”
