Karua to Ruto: Stop using goons, leave office if Kenyans no longer want you!
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Karua to Ruto: Stop using goons, leave office if Kenyans no longer want you!
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People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has accused
President William Ruto of using goons to suppress opposition and settle
political scores, urging him to leave office if he has lost the support of
Kenyans.
Speaking in South Ngariama, Murinduko Ward in Mwea, Kirinyaga
County, Karua said Kenyans do not want a political environment characterised by
violence and intimidation.
“If you know Kenyans do not want you, it is you who should
leave this country, not us,” Karua said, drawing applause from residents.
Karua accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of sponsoring
attacks on opposition rallies, claiming goons are often deployed alongside
police officers to disrupt protests and assault demonstrators.
“Nairobi goons are brought whenever there are protests, armed
with rungus. I have never seen a time when police officers move together with
goons. This is the first government of goons moving with goons, goons beating
people and destroying their property as police watch and stand,” she said.
The former Justice Minister likened the alleged goons to militias
such as Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Janjaweed, accusing the
government of adopting tactics that threaten the safety and rights of citizens.
Karua also urged police officers not to allow themselves to be
used to suppress Kenyans, asking them to remain guided by the Constitution in
carrying out their duties.
“Please, you are our brothers and sisters, don't be used to
make us refugees. Protect our people the way police did in Ol Kalou,” she said.
She further took issue with President Ruto and Interior
Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen over what she termed attempts to shift
responsibility for police excesses, arguing that the Head of State bears the
ultimate responsibility for protecting all Kenyans.
Karua, who was accompanied by PLP supporters and political
aspirants, including former Kirinyaga Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri and Prof. Peter
Kagwanja, said she would continue advocating for human rights both in Kenya and
beyond the country's borders.
She recalled her recent deportation from Uganda, where she had
travelled to represent opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, suggesting that the
incident could not have happened without the knowledge of the Kenyan
government.
“There was no way somebody of my class could be brought back
from Uganda without our President knowing,” Karua said.
She also accused East African governments of working together
to suppress the rights of citizens in the region, citing her experience in
Uganda and recent events in Tanzania.
“How could I be brought back yet I have an East African
passport? I have to deal with them to stop abusing the rights of East African
people. They have cooperation, you saw what happened in Tanzania,” she said.
Karua also revived past controversies surrounding President
Ruto, reminding him of his appearance before the International Criminal Court
(ICC) and warning that developments involving witnesses could potentially
reopen the matter.
The PLP leader maintained that she would not be intimidated
from speaking out against what she described as violations of human rights,
saying she would continue challenging the government both locally and
internationally.
Reporting originally appeared via Citizen Digital. Read the full source for additional context.