Kalonzo, Karua leaders slam President Ruto for implementing 'bad policies'

Opposition leaders Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua have hit out at President William Ruto for implementing what they term as bad policies affecting millions of Kenyans.

The leaders urged the Head of State to stop getting angry at his critics and give room for Kenyans' grievances on the state of the economy and high taxation.

Speaking separately in Machakos and Kakamega counties, the leaders condemned the abduction of Kenyans and foreigners by people believed to be security officers.

In Machakos Stadium, Kalonzo criticized the Kenya Kwanza administration for prioritizing the wrong issues at the expense of Kenyans, particularly the youth population.

"Ni aibu kubwa kwamba wakati tunajiandaa kuhost AFCON bado kuna mambo hivi hivi... badala ya kushughulikia vijana, Zakayo anashughulikia kuchanja ng'ombe na ng'ombe wetu wanasema ni haki wao wajidunge kabla wadunge ng'ombe kwa sababu tunaona kuna njama, njama fulani kila wafanyalo wana Kenya Kwanza ni kujaribu kugandamiza nchi yetu," said Kalonzo amidst chants of anti-Ruto slogans.

At Shiseso Catholic Church in Ikilomani, Kakamega County, Karua, who attended a wedding ceremony, took issue with high taxation and the implementation of the Social Health Insurance scheme.

She said: "We have to keep fighting until they drop that scheme which is robbing Kenyans of access to health. Many people do not know how they will return their children to school - a lot of hardship everywhere."

Karua called on President Ruto to tone down and address the issues raised by Kenyans, the opposition, and church leaders.

"To Ruto and his regime, remember it is all about Kenyans, not about yourself. Stop getting angry and calling us names. Listen to what Kenyans are saying, serve Kenyans, not other foreigners, and observe the Constitution," said Karua.

With the recent cases of abductions in the country, the Narc Kenya party leader urged the government to uphold the rule of law in dealing with critics.

"Stop abducting Kenyans and foreigners like Besigye. We want to live in peace within us as Kenyans and with our neighbours. Kenyans in all corners of Kenya are suffering because of bad leadership. We have no option but to confront the elephant in the room, which is bad leadership, and that means holding leadership to account," she noted.

Karua, who described this as a reflective Christmas due to the high cost of living, wants Kenyans to focus on servant leadership in the next elections and demand services from their leaders from the ward level to the presidency.