Nakuru Duo Keeping National and County Governments in Check

Two activists from Nakuru County are making waves in Kenya’s accountability landscape as they challenge both national and county authorities to uphold transparency and governance. Laban Omusundi, a self-taught legal petitioner, and Dr Magare Gikenyi, a trauma surgeon turned civic activist, have together filed more than 40 petitions aimed at improving public participation, curbing misuse of funds and strengthening constitutional oversight. The Standard
Omusundi, raised in Nakuru despite originally hailing from Kakamega, honed his advocacy from a local cyber-café drafting petitions, access-to-information requests and court filings. His efforts range from fighting hospital detentions over unpaid bills to pushing for legal reforms that would impose term limits on MPs and MCAs. The Standard Meanwhile, Dr Gikenyi balances operating-theatre work with late-night research and filing of high-profile cases, including a successful challenge—in August 2025—against the constitutionality of the President’s multi-agency anti-corruption team. The Standard
Their collaboration gained traction when, in September 2025, they jointly wrote to the County Government of Nakuru demanding explanations about 311 apparently dormant bank accounts flagged by the Controller of Budget. The Standard Their activism illustrates how individuals—even without formal legal training—can influence governance and accountability at both county and national levels.
As these two continue to shine a spotlight into the inner workings of government, their work poses important implications for Kenya’s broader devolution experiment: how civic actors can hold power to account, the readiness of institutions to respond, and the continuing challenge of ensuring public resources are handled with integrity.