Safina Deputy Leader Willis Evans Otieno has urged Kenyans to stop viewing government development projects as personal favours from political leaders, saying essential public services are constitutional rights funded by taxpayers and should never be used to win political loyalty.
In a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, Otieno said roads, hospitals, schools, clean water, electricity, markets and security are financed through public revenue and should be delivered as a constitutional obligation rather than presented as gifts from those in power.
He argued that treating basic government services as acts of generosity weakens public accountability and promotes a culture where leaders are praised for carrying out duties they are required to perform.
"Kenyans must reject the dangerous idea that development is a favour bestowed by politicians. Roads, hospitals, schools, clean water, electricity, markets, and security are not gifts from the government. They are paid for by taxpayers and guaranteed by the Constitution. They are a right, not a privilege."
Otieno said citizens should not feel personally indebted whenever a road is constructed, a hospital is opened or electricity is connected in their communities, maintaining that such projects are funded by public resources.
According to him, elected leaders are entrusted with managing taxpayers' money and are expected to use those resources to deliver services that citizens are entitled to receive.
"No citizen should feel indebted to a leader because a road was built, a hospital opened, or electricity connected. Public officials are custodians of public resources, not benefactors spending their own wealth."
The lawyer said the way citizens view government projects directly affects the level of accountability demanded from those in office. He argued that celebrating routine public services as extraordinary achievements lowers expectations of government performance and weakens democratic oversight.
"The moment citizens begin celebrating basic government services as acts of generosity, accountability disappears and politics becomes patronage."
Otieno called on Kenyans to shift their attention from applauding leaders for delivering basic services to demanding efficient service delivery, prudent management of public resources and transparency in the use of taxpayers' money.
He said citizens have a responsibility to consistently hold leaders accountable for how public funds are collected, allocated and spent.
"Never clap for a government for doing what it is constitutionally obligated to do. Demand more. Demand efficiency. Demand integrity. Demand value for your taxes."
His remarks come amid ongoing public debate over government development projects, public spending and accountability, with political leaders often pointing to infrastructure and service delivery as major achievements of their administrations.
Otieno maintained that development projects should instead be understood as obligations arising from the relationship between the state and its citizens, noting that taxpayers finance public programmes and are therefore entitled to quality services without feeling indebted to elected leaders.
He concluded by reiterating that development is a constitutional entitlement that every Kenyan has a right to expect from the government.
"Development is not charity. It is your constitutional right."
His remarks add to the wider national conversation on governance, accountability and the need for citizens to demand transparent and responsible management of public resources.