People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua has accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of allowing goons to infiltrate political demonstrations and using them to settle scores with its opponents.
She said Kenyans were tired of political violence and intimidation, urging the government to uphold the constitution and protect citizens regardless of their political affiliation.
Karua said the country should not return to an era when political differences were settled through violence.
“We are saying we are tired of your lies. Take responsibility or go home. You do not have to complete five years in office,” she said.
Karua spoke in South Ngariama, Murinduko ward in Mwea, Kirinyaga county,
The PLP leader accused the government of allowing groups of youths to cause chaos during demonstrations, claiming some of them were brought in to disrupt peaceful protests and damage property.
She also criticised the police for allegedly standing by as goons attacked protesters and destroyed property, calling on officers to remember their constitutional responsibility to protect Kenyans.
Karua urged security officers to remain impartial and resist pressure to use excessive force against citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
She said police officers were Kenyans drawn from the same communities they were deployed to police and should protect the public rather than be used to advance political interests.
“Please remember that you swore to serve Kenyans according to the laws of Kenya and our constitution. Do not destroy the country,” she said.
Karua also directed her criticism at President William Ruto, saying the head of state could not distance himself from the actions of the security agencies by simply blaming the police.
She urged Ruto and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen to take responsibility for security operations instead of shifting blame to individual police officers.
Karua said she would continue defending human rights in Kenya and beyond the country’s borders, arguing that citizens should be free to exercise their political and constitutional rights without intimidation.
Her remarks came barely two months after she was detained and deported from Uganda while travelling to represent opposition leader Kizza Besigye. Karua was part of Besigye’s legal team and had travelled to Uganda to attend proceedings involving the opposition figure.
Ugandan authorities denied her entry at Entebbe International Airport on June 22, 2026, despite her holding a Special Practising Certificate from the Uganda Law Council. She subsequently challenged the deportation in the Ugandan High Court.
The incident drew condemnation from Amnesty International, which called for an investigation into her detention and deportation and said the action raised concerns about the rights of lawyers representing political opposition figures.
Karua said the experience had strengthened her resolve to speak out against violations of human rights and democratic freedoms in the region.
She urged Kenyans, particularly security officers, to protect the country’s democratic institutions and ensure political disagreements do not degenerate into violence.
“Ruto should not say it is the police. You are the one who took the Bible and said you would follow the constitution. You are the one who sits at the top and the principal person responsible,” Karua said.
She said the responsibility of protecting Kenya rested with all citizens and security agencies, warning that continued political violence could undermine the country’s stability and force Kenyans to live in fear of their own institutions.
