Karua affirmed that her party’s position in the opposition will not change and that it will continue to stand up for what is right
NARC Kenya party leader, Martha Karua on Thursday, August 22 reacted to Azimio One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga’s statement hinting at exiting Kenyan politics to concentrate on his candidacy for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
Speaking to the media, Karua affirmed that her party’s position in the opposition will not change and that it will continue to stand up for what is right, citing its vast experience in the opposition which according to her has made it difficult to join hands with the Kenyan government.
In Karua’s words, “You can expect that we will continue to do so and our colleagues who wish to do so, we will collaborate with them but I speak on behalf of NARC Kenya, from NARC Kenya and this is our promise to Kenyans.”
Whether or not our brother Raila goes to the African Union (AU) and we wish him well that he gets the job, the position doesn’t change- Martha Karua#ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/ARnBsao1BW
— Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) August 22, 2024
The former Gichugu MP gave her blessings to Raila as his candidacy for the AUC chairperson seat gains momentum.
After being Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 Presidential election, Karua believed that the party’s position in the opposition would remain, whether Raila gets the seat or not.
“Whether or not our brother Raila goes to the African Union (AU) and we wish him well that he gets the job, the position doesn’t change. He remains here, we still remain a voice.
“He goes, we still play our role. So our being in the opposition is not predicated on the presence or absence of our brother. It is a duty we take up seriously,” she added.
On August 21, Raila, during a joint media briefing with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, revealed that his bid for the continental seat would lead to him exploring African politics instead.
This move could blow open a window of opportunity for fresh faces, particularly in the opposition to stake their claim in their mission to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 general elections.
With Raila putting focus on the AUC bid, there is a big hole to fill in terms of the party leadership of ODM, which has been fighting accusations from affiliate parties of Azimio la Umoja in wrangles that began after four of its top brass joined President Ruto’s Cabinet.
The wrangles in Azimio intensified following Karua’s exit from the coalition to pursue other matters independently in terms of holding the Kenya Kwanza regime accountable, a move that could be the catalyst of a looming fallout in the opposition coalition.
Today, she accused the government of human rights violations during the recent anti-government protests, threatening to file complaints to the African Union Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations (UN) Commission on Human Rights among other global human rights bodies against the Kenya Kwanza regime.
“Every Kenyan life is sacred and every drop of blood spilt in the fight for justice must be accounted for. In the light of these grave concerns, we will submit this statement and more details as a formal complaint to the African Union Commission on Human Rights the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, and all other relevant organizations,” said Karua.
“As a state party to the African Charter on human and people’s rights, the UN charter, and other international instruments, Kenya is obligated to uphold the rights contained therein. Our constitution demands no less.”
The protests started in June calling for the rejection of the controversial Finance Bill 2024 before escalating to governance and other issues, but the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) as of July 16 painted grim statistics on the protests.
The human rights body recorded 50 deaths spanning four weeks of demonstrations against the Finance Bill 2024, which began on Tuesday, June 18. Furthermore, 413 people were injured.
A Boda boda rider was injured and his motorbike was set on fire as boda boda operators clashed in Nairobi CBD at the junction of Moi Avenue and Kenyatta Avenue forcing police to use teargas to disperse them on July 23, 2024. /VIRAL TEA KE