Senior lawyer and politician Martha Karua has lashed out at President William Ruto over what she termed as cowardly and oppressive tactics, citing the recent barricading of State House with barbed wire as a symbol of detachment from Kenyans.
Speaking during a morning discussion on a local TV station on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, Karua termed Ruto a coward.
“The cowardice of Dr. William Ruto is legendary. I’m in my late 60s, and I have never seen a president barricade himself behind barbed wire,” Karua said in a fiery address.
She slammed the president for treating the State House as private property, saying it belongs to the people of Kenya. “If you barricade your private homes in Sugoi or Karen, no one will question you. But if State House is too hot for you, why not take a holiday in Karen? Let the people access their house.”
Karua’s sharp remarks come amid mounting tensions in the country, with deadly protests and a growing crackdown on dissent.
Security forces must uphold the law
She warned security officers against blindly following unlawful orders, urging them to uphold the law.
“You are Kenyans like us. Do not obey illegal orders. You will be at the dock alone. These heavy machines we gave you are for protection, not for terrorising citizens,” she said.
Turning her criticism to the military, Karua questioned its recent involvement in domestic affairs. “Your job is to deal with external enemies. When did fellow Kenyans become external threats?”
Ruto will not escape the people’s will
Responding to Ruto’s recent remarks asking how he should step down, Karua was blunt: “Take the same route you used to get where you are. If you respected the people’s voice, you would have resigned by now. But because you won’t, whether in 2027 or earlier, the people will remove you.”
Speaking during World MSME Day on Friday, June 27, 2025, Ruto expressed his frustrations with those calling for him to step down from the presidency and go despite having more than two years left to serve.
He wondered where and how he should go, noting that those demanding he vacate office have no plan at all to address the country’s challenges.
She warned the president against ruling through fear, comparing him to historical dictators. “You may continue to kill, just as you are doing now, but you cannot kill everyone. Even Idi Amin did not survive the people’s will.”
Karua also raised questions about the police response to recent attacks on government facilities. “All government institutions are guarded, yet in every video of the chaos, no officer was in sight. Did they step aside and allow goons to burn them?” she posed.
Karua’s remarks echo growing public frustration, as citizens call for accountability, justice, and a return to constitutional order.
