Karua: Raila Privately Expressed Unease With Ruto’s Administration

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 21 — Narc Kenya leader and United Opposition co-principal Martha Karua has revealed that the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was privately uncomfortable with the way President William Ruto’s administration was running the country, despite his public gestures of cooperation.

Speaking on Spice FM on Tuesday, Karua accused President Ruto of dishonoring Odinga’s legacy by signing what she described as “oppressive and self-serving laws” during the national mourning period declared after Odinga’s death on October 15.

Odinga died while receiving treatment in India, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the political divide.

Ruto, in a televised address, mourned him as a “national hero and a great personal loss” and declared seven days of national mourning.

However, on the same day the nation learned of Odinga’s death, Ruto quietly assented to eight controversial bills at State House, Nairobi, among them the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Bill, which gives the state power to block websites and social media platforms without court orders, and changes to the National Land Commission and Wildlife Acts.

Critics have accused the government of exploiting the public’s grief to push through legislation that weakens oversight and curtails freedoms.

Karua said Odinga had privately voiced discomfort over the administration’s growing intolerance to dissent and human rights violations.

“Actually, I told Raila, ‘I know in your heart you stand for the people, but why are you giving support to a regime doing this? Does it bother you?’ His words were that he was uncomfortable with what was happening,” Karua disclosed.

She added that Odinga had, on several occasions, confronted President Ruto over allegations of abductions and extrajudicial killings. “He did call him out on abductions and human rights abuses,” she said, emphasizing that Odinga’s commitment to civil liberties remained unwavering until his death.

Karua faulted the president for signing the contentious bills on the very morning Odinga’s death was announced, calling it “a failure of empathy and national sensitivity.”

“Look at the bills he signed that morning. He didn’t even pause for a moment of silence,” she said. “Honoring Raila is not about decorating him or giving speeches; it is about defending what he stood for — justice, equity, and good governance.”

The veteran politician also urged Kenyans to reject corrupt leaders, warning that the country risked entrenching impunity by re-electing individuals facing graft charges.

“Please do not elect somebody who has corruptly abused your money. We are mortgaging not just our future, but that of our children and grandchildren,” she warned.

Karua said the United Opposition coalition, which brings together parties opposed to Ruto’s government, will continue expanding nationwide — including in Ruto’s Rift Valley base — to build what she described as “a people-centered movement.”

“Our doors will remain open. We will go to Nyanza, to Sugoi, and every part of Kenya, not just to open offices, but to recruit members and advance Raila’s ideals,” she said.

She revealed that the coalition plans to unveil a joint manifesto grounded in transparency, inclusivity, and democratic accountability — values she said would ensure Raila Odinga’s legacy lives on through action, not symbolism.