The People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua has slammed President William Ruto over his recent remarks suggesting he would not hand over power if he loses the 2027 general election, saying the Constitution is clear that transfer of power is a mandatory democratic process, not a favour.

In a tweet on her official X account on Monday, June 16, 2025, Karua accused Ruto of undermining the Constitution and attempting to stoke fear among citizens through reckless political statements.

 Her comments were in response to remarks made by President Ruto on Sunday, June 15,2025 in Lugari, Kakamega County, where he appeared to question the future of power transition.

“The law is not a suggestion,” Karua said sharply. “Handing over power after an election is not optional. It is a constitutional obligation, and no amount of political bluster can change that.”

President Ruto’s comments have drawn sharp criticism from the United Opposition accusing him of laying the groundwork for an undemocratic post-election environment.

“Some people think I will hand over power just like that. Let them try me and see,” Ruto said in Lugari.

Karua dismissed the remarks as dangerous and disrespectful to the people of Kenya.

“That kind of talk is not only irresponsible, it is unacceptable in a democratic society,” she said.

“It reveals a worrying mindset from a sitting president — a mindset that views power as personal property.”

Karua, a veteran of Kenya’s pro-democracy movement and a former Justice Minister, said Kenyans had fought too hard for constitutional order to let it be undone by political egos.

“We’ve walked a long and painful journey to entrench democracy, the rule of law, and peaceful transitions of power. That journey is not reversible,” she said.

“No president, no matter how popular or powerful, can rewrite the rules mid-game.”

Buckling up for 2027

She also took a swipe at the silence from within Ruto’s government and ruling coalition, accusing them of enabling authoritarian tendencies.

“Where are the voices in his government reminding him of the oath he took to uphold the Constitution?” Karua asked.

 “Are they all complicit, or just too scared to speak truth to power?”

Karua’s warning comes amid growing tensions in the political landscape, with the youth-led Gen Z movement showing signs of mobilisation ahead of 2027 polls.

“This is not a dictatorship. Kenya is a constitutional democracy, and we will not allow it to slide backwards,” she said.

She urged Kenyans to stay vigilant and prepare to defend the democratic process, not just at the ballot box, but in civic life.

“The power belongs to the people,” she said. “The president is merely a custodian — and when the time comes to return the key, he must do so. There will be no negotiation on that.”

Karua also called on the international community, civil society, and the judiciary to take note of the president’s remarks and treat them with the seriousness they deserve.

“When a sitting head of state publicly questions the handover of power, alarm bells must ring — not just here, but globally,” she warned.

“We will not sit back and watch our democracy be threatened by those who are supposed to protect it.”