Martha Karua has accused the government of corruption, vote-buying and abuse of state power in the recent by-elections, warning Kenyans to stay alert as the country heads towards the next general election.

Karua, the presidential candidate of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), spoke on Saturday, November 29, 2025, during the burial of PLP member Emy Siganga in Matende, Malava Constituency, Kakamega County. She urged citizens not to give up their constitutional rights by accepting bribes or electing leaders who, in her words, only care about themselves.

She said what happened in the Mbeere North by-election showed a worrying pattern. She warned that Kenyans could face similar political repression seen in neighbouring countries if they fail to defend their rights.

Karua told mourners that voter bribery had taken a new shape. She said she had never seen bedding being used to sway voters and criticised the tactic sharply.

“Sijaona uchaguzi mwingine gondoro zinanunuliwa. Lakini tuliona gondoro mpya,” she said. “Mimi nataka kuambia wananchi, kulala kwa gondoro ni vizuri, na ni more comfortable kuliko kulala kwa floor. Lakini usipende gondoro kushinda haki. Usipende pesa kushinda haki. Utalala kwa gondoro na ukienda hospitali utakosa dawa.”

She said Kenyans should reject chaotic politics, pointing to incidents where cars were burnt even as police stood close by. Karua said such scenes suggested that some leaders benefited from disorder rather than preventing it.

“Tukatae siasa ya vurugu,” she said. “Tumeona gari zikichomwa polisi wakiwa karibu na zikachomwa. Ni kama kusimamia wale wanatoa fujo.”

Karua urged voters not to be swayed by handouts on election day. She told citizens that hunger for one day would not kill them and warned them against pretending to support the bribers.

“Kama lazima ukule kula lakini siku ya uchaguzi njaa ya siku moja haitakuua,” she said. “Wacha kuonyesha fisi meno. Siku ya uchaguzi wacha mchezo.”

Opposition plans next steps

She added that the opposition would meet to review what had happened in the by-elections and decide the next steps. She reminded the public that disputes over election results could still be taken to court.

“Sisi kama upinzani tutaketi pamoja. We analyse what happened, we decide what we are going to do,” she said. “Uchaguzi ukiisha haujaisha. Iko court. Iko sheria inasema unaweza kimbiza mtu. Iko kifungo ya sheria inasema mamlaka iko kwa mwananchi. Haiko kwa wale wanakalia viti.”

Karua’s remarks echoed concerns raised the same day by former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi. Speaking at the burial of Lenny Kivuti’s mother in Embu, Matiangi condemned what he called unprecedented abuse of state power and misuse of public resources during the by-elections.

“Yale mambo tumeona wiki hii ni ajabu,” he said. “Ile vita tumepigana, ward ni village mbili. Watu wanaingia huko na mandege, madoido, arrogance, kutoa pesa kujigamba ati sisi ndio serikali. Hakuna kitu mtafanya. The founders of this nation must be turning in their graves.”

He warned that if the current trend continued, Kenya risked heading in the wrong direction. He said politics had become divisive and driven by personal interests, with some leaders using state resources to intimidate the public.

“Hii siasa ni siasa ya kubomoa nchi,” he said. “Mambo ya kiburi, kubeba mali ya serikali, pesa ya umma, kudharau maoni ya wananchi.”

Matiangi’s warning followed claims by former Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, who said the Mbeere North campaign had cost the government Ksh600 million. He said he had seen the deployment of 16 helicopters, Air Force resources and military vehicles during the campaign.

“600 million has been spent kutafuta kiti ya MP,” Linturi said. “Kutafuta kiti ya whole constituency. 600 million means 60 members of parliament.”