Kisii, Kenya – Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has announced that he will not attend President William Ruto’s State New Year’s Eve dinner at the Kisii State Lodge, citing the country’s worsening state of governance, rising abductions, and rampant corruption as reasons for his protest.
In a statement released on December 31, 2024, the senator criticized the president’s leadership, accusing him of failing to uphold the constitution and protect the rights of Kenyans.
He described the year as “tumultuous and painful,” particularly for young people who have been victims of abductions and human rights violations.
“We are ending our year at a very low end! Kenyans have asked, begged, and pleaded with President Ruto, to which he has given a deaf ear! Fidelity to our constitution is paramount to all Kenyans,” Onyonka wrote, adding that the president had failed to uphold the rule of law.
The senator expressed disappointment over the government’s inaction regarding cases of abductions and arrests of young Kenyans.
He pointed out that despite repeated calls for justice and accountability, President Ruto had not intervened.
“Expectations are that after these pleas from Kenyans of all walks of life, the Head of State in his new year clarion call of unity of purpose, magnanimity, and brotherliness to all Kenyans, would have released these young Kenyans who were abducted and some arrested. He has not,” Onyonka stated.
https://x.com/RichardOnyonka_/status/1874005500695924887
The senator linked these failures to a broader sense of regression in governance, lamenting that Kenya is “going back to factory settings” with history appearing to repeat itself in troubling ways.
Onyonka’s decision to skip the high-profile dinner was framed as a stand of solidarity with families who have endured hardship during the year.
“I’m uncomfortable with the idea that some of us will be normal, happy, and excited with color and pomp when other Kenyan families are agonizing in pain, looking for their loved ones to share during this season, but in vain,” he declared.
The senator’s remarks come amid growing public frustration over insecurity, corruption, and what many view as a lack of decisive leadership from the government.
Onyonka concluded his statement by reflecting on what he described as a failed year for the nation, urging the government to take decisive action to restore dignity, integrity, and justice in 2025.
