BY BILLTY MIJUNGU

In the shifting sands of Kenyan politics, positions come and go with tides of favour, factionalism, and regional calculations. But some positions carry weight beyond mere politics. They carry national consequence. The role of Principal Secretary for Interior is one such docket. It is not ceremonial. It is the bedrock of security, coordination, national cohesion, and the delivery of government services across all corners of Kenya.

And right now, that responsibility lies with Dr. Raymond Omollo, a son of the Luo community and of the Republic. The deal, for those who care about stability, fairness, and Kenya’s future, is simple. Let Raymond finish his work.

A Technocrat, Not a Politician

Unlike many appointees who climb the ranks through political maneuvering, Raymond Omollo came through the door of competence. A data scientist and administrator, his journey to Harambee House was marked by quiet diligence and strategic thinking. His work at the Lake Basin Development Authority reflected transparency, order, and efficiency. These are values often in short supply in our public institutions.

In a docket as sensitive as Interior, where trust, professionalism, and neutrality are required, Raymond fits the bill. The question therefore is not just whether he should remain, but whether we can afford not to keep him.

The Constitutional Reality

We must also be honest about the nature and limits of the Interior Ministry today. Under the constitutional architecture of 1963 to 2010, the Interior docket wielded sweeping powers. It was virtually the nerve center of state authority. From Provincial Commissioners to chiefs, the system was designed for control—often authoritarian, centralized, and unchecked.

But with the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, Kenya transitioned to a devolved, rights-based governance framework. The Interior Ministry remains important, but it no longer controls provincial administration in the old sense. Today, the role of the Principal Secretary is more about coordination than command, more about policy than policing.

That is why our expectations of what Raymond Omollo can and cannot do must be measured. He cannot be judged by the yardstick of 1963 authoritarianism. He is not the old-style power broker some imagine him to be. He is a servant of a constitutional order, not an enforcer of executive decrees.

Regional Equity and Political Symbolism

Appointments to Cabinet and Principal Secretary levels have always carried deep symbolic weight in Kenya. They are viewed as signals of inclusion or exclusion. For the Luo community, historically marginalized in the national executive, Raymond’s appointment was a rare recognition. To lose him now through what appears to be orchestrated internal sabotage and political gamesmanship would be a brutal symbolic blow.

More dangerously, it would feed a narrative that Luos are welcome to the table only as long as they stay silent, compliant, and invisible. That cannot be acceptable. Not in 2025, and not in a constitutional democracy.

Competence Over Convenience

There have been whispers. Political crossfires. Blame games. Speculative media reports. But none of that diminishes the fact that the Ministry of Interior has remained stable under Omollo’s stewardship. National celebrations have been coordinated without incident.

Security frameworks have been maintained. Regional commissioners, county commissioners, and the entire administrative arm of government have functioned in a manner that suggests order, not disarray.

That should be the yardstick. In an era where public officials are often judged more by how loudly they praise their masters than how effectively they serve the country, Raymond has taken a different path. One of quiet delivery. That is not weakness. That is leadership.

We Must Stop Eating Our Own

Sadly, much of the hostility Raymond faces comes not from outside the community, but within it. The Luo tendency to turn on its own once they step into national service is a pathology we must confront. We cannot continue to ask for inclusion in government only to undermine our own once they get there.

Where other communities circle the wagons around their own, defend their leaders, and bargain politically for space and longevity, we often seem eager to offer up our brightest as political sacrifices.

Let us be clear. If Raymond Omollo were from elsewhere, the chorus defending him would be deafening.

Let Him Finish

Leadership is not about loudness. It is about legacy. Raymond Omollo may not dance to political tunes, but his professionalism speaks louder than slogans. Let him finish the work he started. Let competence, not noise, guide the decision.

As for us in the Luo nation, let us learn to defend our sons when they take up the burden of service. You cannot seek equity with a torch in one hand and firewood in the other.

The future is not for those who sabotage it. It is for those who build it. Let Raymond build.

(The writer if Migori senator aspirant in the forthcoming polls, follow him on Facebook X Instagram TikTok LinkedIn @BilyMijungu)