People’s Liberation Party (PLP) Presidential Aspirant and Party Leader Martha Karua condemned the police blockade of peaceful Saba Saba protesters and the growing use of intimidation, violence and state-sponsored goonism to suppress civic freedoms enshrined in the 2010 Constitution, a foundational democratic pillar which she termed as the fruit of the Second Liberation of the 1990s.
Speaking during an interview at Etaya TV in Kisii Town as part of the Purple Train tour of Nyamira, Homa Bay and Kisii, Martha Karua criticized the heavy police deployment, roadblocks and restrictions on peaceful protests, saying they reveal a leadership afraid of the people’s voice after failing to deliver on the “hustler promise” and now targeting those who speak truth to power.
Karua, who was actively involved in Kenya’s Second Liberation movement by providing legal representation to political detainees and challenging arbitrary arrests, said that under Kenya Kwanza the country was witnessing an alarming return to Moi-Era authoritarian tactics designed to silence dissent instead of addressing citizens’ legitimate concerns.
Karua further condemned what she described as the increasing use of violence and politically sponsored gangs to intimidate critics and opposition voices, adding that the failure in service delivery is what is driving wenye nchi to the streets
“Instead of fixing the nation, this administration is preoccupied with silencing the voices of Kenyans. We are witnessing attacks on families of protesters, intimidation of mothers demanding justice, and attempted abductions of media and citizens who dare to speak out.”
“Meanwhile, criminal gangs rob businesses, churches and innocent wananchi with impunity,” she said.
Civil society groups, wananchi, and families of victims of police brutality, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances had organized peaceful demonstrations on Tuesday to demand accountability over what they described as a growing pattern of state abuses.
Criticizing president Ruto’s administration for what she termed as draconian Moi-era-tactics, Karua reaffirmed that the Constitution guarantees every Kenyan the right to assemble, demonstrate and petition peacefully, stressing that citizens should never be punished or harassed for exercising those constitutional freedoms.
“Thirty-six years after Kenyans sacrificed so much to restore multiparty democracy, it is unacceptable that peaceful citizens are once again being met with intimidation and fear simply for exercising rights guaranteed by our Constitution. What we are witnessing now under Ruto is a government that is using threats and intimidation to silence the voice of the people,” said the 2027 presidential hopeful.
The former Justice Minister and longtime defender of democracy in Kenya and across East Africa explained the spirit of Saba Saba was founded on the belief that wananchi must be free to choose their leaders and participate fully in the governance of their country.
She warned that the growing use of political violence, intimidation and state-sponsored goonism threatens those hard-won democratic gains.
Referring to the recent attack on Linda Mwananchi in Kisii, Karua said such violence was becoming increasingly dangerous for Kenya’s democracy and urged young people not to allow themselves to be manipulated by political actors.
“The goonism that was unleashed on Linda Mwananchi has claimed one life and caused injuries to many more. Can we stop this madness? What we are seeing across the country is death, injury, destruction of property, utter chaos that is dangerous for democracy. If a leader is hiring you to be a goon, can you ask them to go hire their own children, or ask those leaders to fight for their cause themselves. Vijana msikubali kutumika vibaya.”
Karua stated that neither her party nor the wider united opposition will be cowed by rising incidents of political violence aimed at silencing critical voices. Speaking on the campaign trail, she vowed that the opposition will not be confined to “boardroom gymnastics” and “handshake politics” while ordinary Kenyans suffer. She called out the administration’s “broad-based” political arrangements as nothing more than an exercise in elite self-preservation.
Kara noted the bitter irony that while the fortunes of the politicians who joined the government have changed, the plight of the struggling electorate and their core grievances continue to be ignored, and local issues are not addressed.
“Kenyans cannot eat boardroom agreements and handshakes in the State House. While political elites negotiate their own survival, you Kisii County farmers remain neglected, your markets are deteriorating, roads are crumbling and essential services continue to fail.”
“Our country deserves leaders who are accountable at every level of government. The Purple Train is taking that message across Kenya because true liberation begins when wananchi elect leaders who will serve the people, not themselves,” she said.
Pitching herself as a transitional figure dedicated to resetting the country’s governance before handing over the baton to a younger generation, the former Justice Minister stated that her single five-year tenure will be strictly focused on reverting Kenya to the foundational promises of the 2010 Constitution, which guarantees citizens the fundamental right to dignified livelihoods. She highlighted her agenda of ending wasteful expenditure, reviewing burdensome taxation including the Housing Levy, creating jobs for young people, capping statutory contributions for informal workers and the unemployed, and delivering free education from kindergarten through secondary school.
“The promise of the 2010 Constitution cannot be fulfilled while hardworking Kenyans are taxed into poverty and small businesses are squeezed dry. My government will restore fiscal discipline and create a tax system that is simple, fair and predictable, ending arbitrary levies and creating the conditions for businesses to thrive. We will support local enterprises through government procurement, because when businesses grow, they create jobs, strengthen communities and drive Kenya’s economic recovery.”
Karua concluded by calling on Kenyans to honour the legacy of Saba Saba by jealously guarding the democratic freedoms won through the sacrifices of the Second Liberation.
She urged citizens to remain peaceful, united and resolute, insisting that the gains fought for by previous generations must never be surrendered to intimidation, violence or authoritarianism.
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