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.
Okiya Omtatah's continued dedication to fighting against some of the controversial government proposals including the Social Health Authority (SHA) and his contributions to upholding constitutional rights make him a deserving candidate for the TOP 100 Kenyans 2024.
This year, Omtatah renewed his enterprise in championing for a better Kenya by filing various petitions against contentious and controversial government policies such as the Housing levy, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) rollout and the Finance Bill 2024.
By doing so, his efforts led to increased levels of awareness amongst Kenyans on such issues giving citizens an opportunity to voice their informed opinion.
Omtatah seems set to end the year on a high after he announced in November 2024 his ambitions of vying for the Presidency in 2027. He went on to form a 10-member Presidential Exploratory Committee as he weighs up his chances of ascending to the highest seat in the land.
Omtatah holds a diploma in Philosophy from St Augustine Philosophicum in Bungoma County.