‘Don’t provoke us please’ – Kaluma tells Martha Karua over attacks on Raila
By Ascah Mwango, August 7, 2024Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has hit out at Narc Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua for her recent accusations against Azimio One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga.
Karua, Raila Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 presidential elections, accused him of betraying Kenyans by striking a deal with President William Ruto.
In a statement on his X account, Kaluma defended Odinga noting that Kenya is a multi-party democracy where all citizens are part of the government, albeit through different political parties.
Kaluma urged for a fight for good governance within the bounds of the law, and not through chaos.
“We don’t take kindly unfair attacks on @RailaOdinga. Kenya is a multi-party democratic state. All Kenyans are in government, but in different political parties. Let’s fight for good governance within the law, not anarchy. Allow us to respect you as our leader,” he declared.
Kaluma’s remarks come hot on Karua’s recent interview with a local TV station where she expressed her disapproval of the deal between Odinga and President Ruto. She described the recently formed broad-based government as “a come-we-stay marriage.”
Karua’s criticism against ODM
Karua had criticized the process by which Odinga’s ODM Party members were integrated into Ruto’s Cabinet, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of the law.
“Whereas the Gen Z have been asking for transparency and accountability, these appointments have lowered the bar because they seek to violate the design of the Constitution, they also seek to lower the bar on accountability,” Karua stated.
Adding;
“This (broad-based government) is a come-we-stay marriage, it is illegal, it is unconstitutional and it will lead to unconstitutionality in the conduct of the business of Parliament.”
Martha Karua criticized Raila Odinga for his lack of transparency regarding the agreement he had with the Head of State.
She pointed out the contradiction in Odinga’s statements, highlighting that he initially denied ODM’s official entry into the government, claiming members joined as individuals. However, the opposition leader later acknowledged that he had nominated them and facilitated their government integration.
Karua noted that any opposition party or its members joining the government must do so transparently and constitutionally. She mentioned that the law distinctly separates the majority party, which forms the government, from the minority party, which acts as the opposition.
“A very interesting confession by my former boss… he first denied that ODM had entered government saying that they had entered as individuals. Now what he is saying is obvious that he actually nominated them and gave them over to the government,” she said.
Adding;
“When the opposition or part of it enters government, they cannot enter through the backdoor. The law is very clear, the constitutional design is such that it recognises the majority side and the minority side is the Opposition.”
She said that ODM, as the leading party within the Azimio coalition and a significant opposition force, entering the government blurs these lines. This dual role undermines the opposition’s integrity and its ability to hold the government accountable.
She argued that maintaining opposition seats while participating in the government allows ODM to have undue influence. According to Karua, the situation dilutes the oversight role that should be conducted by other minority parties, such as the Wiper Party.