Karua: Raila and ODM Exploited Gen Z Movement for Political Gain

NARC-Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua on Thursday accused a group of Azimio politicians, led by Raila Odinga, of seizing control of the Gen Z movement to further their political goals and secure lucrative government roles.

During an interview on the Obinna Show, Karua emphasized that Azimio or ODM did not orchestrate the youth-led protests demanding government accountability. Karua expresses her disapproval of attempts to frame Gen Z’s call for accountability as an opposition-driven issue. She stresses the importance of allowing young protesters to voice their concerns freely. According to Karua, the Gen Z movement’s objectives are firmly rooted in constitutional principles, particularly the call for accountability, and she believes that these young activists are prioritizing Kenya’s national interests.

The NARC-Kenya leader dismisses the proposal for a national dialogue initiated by President William Ruto and Raila Odinga. Karua argues that such conversations have proven ineffective in the past and would fail to address the wide-ranging concerns raised by Kenyans. Instead, she urges the government to first address Gen Z’s demands before engaging in any dialogue. Karua also voices her concerns regarding the government’s response to recent protests. She criticizes the President for allegedly failing to address the reported abductions and fatalities of Kenyan citizens during these demonstrations.

“Look at the number of young people dead, 66 and counting, so many missing and bodies at the mortuary with falsified identities,” the NARC Kenya leader said.

These remarks from Karua come in the wake of her recent announcement formally departing from the Azimio la Umoja coalition. Citing political disagreements within the alliance, Karua declared that her continued involvement in the Azimio-One Kenya Coalition had become untenable due to the current political climate.