Karua urges Kenyans to help identify strongest leaders in United Opposition
By Faith Lagat, January 8, 2026People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has called on Kenyans to actively participate in identifying the strongest leaders within the United Opposition, emphasising that voters hold the ultimate power to select credible candidates.
Speaking on a morning television show on Thursday, January 8, 2026, Karua highlighted the role of the electorate in shaping effective leadership.
She explained that voters influence which leaders rise to prominence by choosing candidates based on their qualifications and performance. Karua noted that if a party produces accountable leaders, it will naturally attract more capable candidates, while weaker parties may have fewer strong contenders.
“When they help us pick the best, when they cast their votes, they’ll also do the same with the rest of the candidates.”
“So I’m telling you, the electorate, Kenya, help us grade ourselves as candidates. We can’t grade ourselves, grade us as candidates and select from among us. And let everybody, not just those of us who say we are in the United Opposition, let everybody who feels called upon to serve, come forward. But help us to pick the best to move this country forward, knowing that our greatest problem is bad leadership.”
“We need good leadership based on the rule of law. A leadership that will respect the people and the laws that those people have made.”
She urged voters to focus on evaluating candidates’ merits rather than party affiliation, arguing that every party has individuals capable of serving effectively.
Lessons from past coalitions
Karua drew parallels to the 2002 NARC coalition, recalling how voters helped filter out ineffective leaders from KANU when the coalition formed the government. She noted that many politicians who were once considered influential lost voter support due to their conduct and performance.
According to Karua, this process allowed the incoming administration to build a competent team, with only a few officials from the previous regime retained for their proven abilities. She emphasized that this example illustrates how voters can shape leadership quality through informed choices.
Voter-driven selection
The PLP leader stressed that the United Opposition does not police other parties internally, relying instead on voters to select leaders. She explained that even during presidential candidate selection, polls and voter feedback play a key role in determining who emerges as the front-runner.
Karua said the primary duty of the United Opposition is to marshal support and encourage participation, while voters differentiate between strong and weak candidates. She emphasised that every vote counts and that the electorate’s judgment is crucial in promoting good governance.
Karua concluded by appealing directly to Kenyans to choose leaders who uphold the rule of law. She urged citizens to help grade candidates and select the best individuals to move the country forward, highlighting that poor leadership remains one of Kenya’s greatest challenges. She called for leadership that respects both the people and the laws established by the nation.