Willis Evans Otieno is a prominent practising lawyer in Kenya. Recently, he made the headlines for his remarks on the intention of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, on the timelines for elections. 

He has stated: “It is a fundamental tenet of constitutional democracy that sovereign power belongs to the people and must be exercised strictly in accordance with the timelines prescribed by the Constitution. Article 136(2)(a) is unequivocal; a general election for the office of President shall be held on the second Tuesday in August, in the fifth year of the term.”

Otieno continued, “Any attempt to shift this date under the guise of administrative convenience, political expediency, or interpretative elasticity constitutes a direct affront to constitutional supremacy and the rule of law. The electoral calendar is not subject to the whims of incumbents or the shifting interests of political actors; it is anchored in the express will of the people as codified in the Constitution. To ignore this is to invite a constitutional crisis under the pretence of pragmatism.”

His interpretation has called for elections to be held in August 2026, not August 2027, as has been the expectation. This assertion has caused some hysteria within the Kenya Kwanza ranks. The party claims that this would threaten the reign of President Ruto’s first term in office. 

The politician has also been vocal on the unjust treatment and intimidation of Kenyans seeking accountability from the political elite. He has repeatedly stated that in a democracy, public figures are subject to scrutiny, commentary, and even criticism. 

Otieno, an active member of the Safina Party, publicly declared his decision to run alongside aspiring politician Jimmy Wanjigi in the 2027 general elections.

Aside from his political ambitions, Otieno has been a partner at Otieno Ogola & Company Advocates since 2013. He is a litigator specialising in matters related to governance, public law, elections, constitutional and administrative law, and political processes. Previously, he served as an elections and democracy expert at the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) for two years. Otieno graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi (UoN). He also holds a Master of Laws from the same university.