His detractors have described him as a serial litigant and someone determined to derail the government’s agenda.
But in the eyes of Kenyans, Omtatah, the current Busia Senator, is a hero who has proven more than capable of checking the government’s excesses.
In 2023, he made headlines for opposing and filing a case against the Finance Act, 2023 which culminated in the High Court declaring the Housing Levy unconstitutional.
Unsatisfied with that win, Omtatah vowed not to relent until the controversial law was thrown out in its entirety.
Omtatah also questioned the government fuel deal agreed upon between Kenya and two Gulf firms describing it as a scam. He further linked two cabinet secretaries to the Ksh 17 billion fuel importation saga that led to the arrest of businesswoman Anne Njeri.
The Senator has also intimated that he will move to court to block the government’s plans to privatise 11 parastatals including the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and Kenya Pipeline.
These 3 are just the tip of the iceberg as he has been at the forefront of opposing oppressive policies introduced by the government.
In 2008, Omtatah made headlines when he chained himself at the Vigilance House gate, the National Police Service (NPS) headquarters, to protest against the police brutality meted on demonstrators.
What’s most interesting about him is that despite constantly winning high-profile cases in court, he is not a lawyer by profession but rather a human rights activist.
Omtatah holds a diploma in Philosophy from St Augustine Philosophicum in Bungoma County.