Karua Accuses Ruto of Clinging to Power He Already Lost

People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua describes Kenya as a country where the government has launched a deliberate and systematic effort to suffocate the rights of citizens to picket and peacefully demonstrate.

Karua was speaking on July 8, 2025, on Citizen TV, in the wake of Saba Saba commemoration on July 7, 2025, an occasion meant to celebrate the struggle for democracy that instead turned into a day marked by killings, and destruction of property.

“It’s a celebration of our freedom and demand that the rights that are guaranteed in our constitution be respected. One of them being the right to picket which we have seen under this rogue regime being completely disregarded,” she said.

The PLP leader has expressed deep disappointment and outrage at the state’s handling of peaceful demonstrations, condemning the senseless loss of lives and destruction of property.

“It’s shock, frustration, and anger to see the continued trend of killing innocent peaceful protesters, destroying businesses, and it’s apparent that it is state-sponsored goons who are destroying the businesses,” Karua said.

Commending the Gen Z for peaceful demonstrations, Martha Karua has emphasized that going forward Saba Saba should be commemorated as a day to celebrate the freedoms we have gained so far.

“Saba Saba should be a day to celebrate the freedoms we have gained so far. Gen Z have shown that Kenyans can have large-scale demonstrations that are peaceful,” she said.

Building on her criticism of president Ruto’s regime Karua went further to insist that the public has both the right and the power to demand change when a regime refuses to uphold the rule of law.

“Ruto must go. If he cannot govern in accordance with the law, the people have the power to tell him to go. There is no offense, no law broken by people chanting or demanding that Ruto must go. He should consider that he was actually fired last year during the Gen Z protest,” she declared.

Karua also noted that there is so much anger amongst the youth who feel betrayed by a government that refuses to listen or change course. She continued to say that the regime is tone deaf and instead of listening to the citizens, the government is presiding over matters of state with high-handedness and complete disregard of the rights of the people.

“There is so much anger amongst the youth because of bad governance. This regime is tone deaf. Instead of listening to the citizens, the government is presiding over matters of state with high-handedness and complete disregard of the rights of the people,” she said.