Senator Okiya Omtatah of Busia County has asked the national government to discontinue any formal registration, enumeration or official acknowledgement of tribal groups, suggesting that all citizens be treated solely under civil law.

He argues that such a shift would safeguard the "tribeless society" envisioned in the 2010 Constitution and reduce the ethnic calculations that dominate political campaigning for the 2027 general election.

Observers note that Gachagua’s strategy relies heavily on counting tribal populations, a method critics say marginalises smaller communities that lack large numbers.

Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi responded by reminding that no Kenyan president has ever been elected solely by one community, challenging the premise of tribal‑based vote‑banking.

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i warned that rhetoric centred on ethnic balkanisation could fracture opposition parties and threaten national cohesion.

Supporters of Omtatah’s proposal contend that removing tribal identifiers from state processes would curb the "shareholder" mentality that currently influences public appointments and resource distribution.

Under the suggested framework, national exercises such as the census would record individuals by county of residence rather than ethnic origin, aiming to dismantle institutional mechanisms that treat communities as political fiefdoms.

Omtatah, who has hinted at exploring an independent presidential bid, reiterated that Kenya’s future should rest on constitutionalism, justice and shared citizenship instead of ethnic division.