Renowned constitutional lawyer Elisha Ongoya has delivered a powerful response to President William Ruto’s recent remarks expressing hope of transforming Kenya into a Singapore-like nation. Speaking during a televised discussion, Ongoya criticized the president’s statement, arguing that “hope” cannot be the foundation of effective governance or national transformation.
According to Ongoya, real progress requires clear strategies, competent leadership, and deliberate action, not mere optimism. He pointed out that Singapore’s success story was built on visionary leadership, strict accountability, and strong institutions — qualities that Kenya still struggles to uphold.
“You cannot use hope as your methodology of doing things. Until we strike deals with the right men and women, Kenya will never be like Singapore,” Ongoya stated.
The outspoken lawyer further condemned Kenya’s culture of glorifying corrupt and dishonest individuals, saying it is one of the biggest obstacles to development. He lamented that the country continues to entrust leadership positions to people with questionable integrity, while expecting miracles in return.
“As a society, we are interested in our noisiest thieves, conmen, fraudsters, and drug dealers — whom we have given our sensitive dockets — and somehow hoping that we will be a great country,” he added sharply.
Ongoya’s remarks have since gone viral, resonating with many Kenyans who feel that the government has focused more on rhetoric than results. Supporters of the lawyer praised him for “speaking truth to power,” while others defended the president, arguing that his vision for Kenya is based on long-term planning and faith in the nation’s potential.
As the debate continues, Ongoya’s comments have reignited a national conversation about leadership ethics, accountability, and the true path to Kenya’s prosperity — reminding citizens that transformation begins not with hope, but with honesty and hard work.
