NAIROBI, Kenya — Martha Karua is turning up the heat—again. In a fiery sit-down on Citizen TV, the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader said she believes President William Ruto is behaving more like a squatter in State House than a tenant on a five-year lease.
Her sharpest jab? That Ruto may not be ready—or even willing—to face the ballot come 2027.
Karua pointed to the unresolved status of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), accusing the president of orchestrating the removal of commissioners and then dragging his feet on appointing replacements.
“He denies the country a functioning IEBC,” she said. “That’s not just neglect. It’s strategy.”
It’s the kind of political chess move that, according to Karua, signals anything but confidence in a fair electoral rematch.
“Everything he’s doing is as if he holds the title deed to State House,” she charged, referencing reports of a Ksh1.2 billion church being constructed within the presidential grounds. “Why would you build a church there unless you believe you’re not leaving anytime soon?”
The PLP chief, a seasoned opposition voice, didn’t stop there. She doubled down on Ruto’s perceived disconnect from public sentiment, warning that his presidency is sitting on shaky ground.
“He should remember he was fired during the Gen Z protests. If you’re on borrowed time, at least try to fix your mistakes. Instead, he’s adding insult to injury,” Karua said, referring to the 2024 youth-led demonstrations that swept the country.
And if you thought that was the climax—think again.
Karua issued what many are interpreting as a political warning shot: unless Ruto reforms his “illegitimate rogue regime,” Kenyans could invoke their constitutional right to end his term prematurely.
“You want to meet us on the ballot? Change your ways,” she said, echoing a growing public sentiment around the “one-term president” slogan now dominating political chatter online.
She also took issue with Ruto’s controversial remarks allegedly suggesting that “if there’s no Kenya for Ruto, there will be no Kenya.” Karua called that a “deliberate attempt to cause strife,” and urged Kenyans to reject fear-driven narratives.
“We must resist and come together—not in dialogue, but through decisive action that halts this rogue government in its tracks.”
On the topic of national dialogue, she was crystal clear: it’s a distraction. In her view, any so-called talks will cater to political elites while ignoring the people actually struggling to survive. “Dialogue will not save this country,” she said. “Accountability will.”
Karua’s remarks come at a time of growing discontent with the Ruto administration over rising living costs, austerity policies, and stalled reforms.
With the IEBC in limbo and political temperatures rising, the stage may already be set for a fierce battle for Kenya’s future—one that might not wait until 2027.
