Karua urges Ruto to end abductions, killings in honour of Raila

People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has made a passionate plea to President William Ruto in honour of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Karua, who was Raila’s running mate under the Azimio la Umoja banner in the 2022 presidential elections, termed her late comrade in battle as a staunch defender of human rights.

She hence urged President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government to, in memory of the departed Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party chief, cease all politically-related abductions and extrajudicial killings as witnessed in the recent past.

The opposition stalwart further regretted what she termed as harsh police action at the Kasarani stadium on Thursday evening when Raila’s supporters thronged the stadium in their thousands to pay view his body and pay their last respects to their departed hero.

According to Karua, who spoke during an interview on Citizen TV, police officers deployed to the stadium used unnecessary force which caused injuries and deaths among the late premier’s supporters who were already in mourning.

“Niulize serikali ya William Ruto, na yeye mwenyewe, sababu walikuwa marafiki siku za mwisho, na vile mwendazake Raila Amollo Odinga alikuwa mtetezi wa haki za kibinadam, mambo ya abduction…mambo ya extra-judicial killings…mambo ya kudhulumu haki za binadamu iishe kwa heshima ya mwendazake,” she said.

“Na leo niko na hofu ya kwamba inaonekana polisi walitumia nguvu za hali ya juu kinyume cha sheria pale Kasarani, kukawa na majeraha na hata tukaskia inawezekana watu wanne waliaga. Hiyo sio heshima kwa mwendazake.”

A State funeral is set to be held for Raila at the Nyayo stadium on Friday, after which there will be another body viewing session from noon into the late evening.

The body will on Saturday travel to Kisumu for viewing at the Jomo Kenyatta stadium, then finally make its way to Bondo in Siaya County where ‘Baba’ – as he is commonly known among his fanbase – will be buried on Sunday.