The recent remarks made by constitutional lawyer Prof. PLO Lumumba, in which he urged former prime minister Hon Raila Odinga not to march to the statehouse to protest against President William Ruto’s government, have drawn a response from NARC Kenya party leader Hon Martha Karua.
In her tweet, Karua suggested that Lumumba should use his voice to call out injustices rather than dissuading Kenyans from exercising their democratic rights. She argued that mass action is a means of holding the government accountable and should not be discouraged.
“Use your experience and influence to protect Kenya. Do not march to State House,” PLO Lumumba to Raila
“Prof PLO Lumumba Dear brother use your voice to call out injustices more than to dissuade Kenyans from exercising their democratic rights. Let’s grow not stifle democracy, let’s uproot Electoral deceit”.Martha Karua wrote.
Prof. Lumumba had described the planned protests by Raila and his supporters as treasonable and warned that they would infringe on the constitutional right to hold peaceful demonstrations. He further noted that if the protests resulted in the overrunning of State House, the move would become anarchic and lead to a bloodbath. He urged Raila to use existing institutions to hold the current regime accountable, adding that he had not seen any petition by Azimio members or governors highlighting the crisis in the country.
President Ruto, on his part, warned Raila against holding unlawful protests that would lead to the destruction of lives and property or the paralyzation of business operations in the country. He insisted that he would not allow any attempt by Raila to “blackmail” the country and urged him to liaise with police over the planned demonstrations.
The back-and-forth between Lumumba, Karua, and Ruto highlights the tension and polarization in Kenya’s political landscape. While some argue that mass protests are necessary to hold the government accountable, others view them as a threat to national security and stability. In any case, it is essential to uphold the right to peaceful protest while ensuring that it does not lead to violence or the violation of other people’s rights.
