Raila, Karua publicly disagree over broad-based gov't deal with Ruto

ODM party leader Raila Odinga and his People's Liberation Party (PLP) counterpart Martha Karua have differed over the nature of the current broad-based government arrangement with President William Ruto.

The duo, who were running mates during the 2022 General Elections, met at the funeral of the late Julius Laban, Siaya Governor James Orengo’s in-law, held in Tharaka Nithi County on Tuesday.

Raila defended the broad-based arrangement with the ruling regime and insisted that ODM is not in government.

“Uchaguzi uliopita tulikuwa na Martha na tulizuru naye sehemu hii yote tukitafuta kura lakini mnajua baadaye nini ilifanyika. Lakini, hayo ni yaliyopita, nchi mpaka iendelee mbele,” said Raila.

However, Karua dismissed Raila’s assertions, urging the former premiere to come clean on the arrangement and make it legal as a coalition through the Registrar of Political Parties.

Further, Karua urged Raila to let the opposition in Parliament conduct their constitutional right.

“The framers of our Constitution found it fit to decree that Kenya is a multiparty democracy, that in Parliament there would be a minority side and a majority side, but when you match the minority side and a majority side, like it is happening in broad-based, you deny people the power to question government,” said Karua.

“I still request them to do what the law says, to enter into a political holy matrimony, which is a coalition registered under the Registrar of Political Parties, to let the vital committees sit with parties absolutely not in government so that we are able to continue to have a debate that is healthy in this government.”

Raila responded by stating that ODM remains in the opposition, and their role, along with the rest of Parliament, is to monitor and check the actions of the government.

“Bunge yenyewe sio ati ya serikali na upinzani, majority and minority, but all of them are overseeing the Executive. So hatujaingia kwa Executive, sisi tumesema Bunge tuko katika upinzani. We are overseeing the Executive, the whole Parliament is overseeing the Executive,” he said.

Karua, on her part added that she stands firmly with the people of Kenya and believes it is crucial to keep challenging the government and its policies.

“I firmly remain with the people and today we must continue questioning government, questioning its policies. We must continue saying no to abductions, saying no to executions, saying no to grand theft of public funds when basic services are suffering,” she said.