Martha Karua to complain against police excesses at continental court

Opposition politician Martha Karua on Thursday announced her quest to get justice for victims of police brutality at the continent's Court of Justice.

While addressing the media after deliberations with her NARC-Kenya Party officials, Karua expressed frustrations with President William Ruto's administration, accusing it of abetting crimes against humanity.

"In light of these grave concerns, we will submit this statement and more details as a formal complaint to the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, the UN Human Rights Commission and other relevant organisations," said Karua.

In her explanation, the politician said that Kenya being a state party to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, the UN and other international instruments, Kenya is obligated to uphold the rights contained therein.

"We will not hesitate to call out these violations on the continental stage, especially in light of the fact that the state has reverted to its default modus operandi- using fear as a tool, intimidation as a strategy, and the suppression of dissents as an official policy," said Karua.

Karua further expressed worry that arrests and abductions of Kenyans voicing their expression on governance have continued even after the protests.

The outspoken leader, who has since fallen out with her Azimio principal counterpart Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement(ODM) Party insisted that Kenyans have no alternative but to continue seeking justice, "for those whose lives were brutally taken for standing up for their rights and dignity."

She also tore into Ruto's development and education policies, terming them as far-fetched and those that cannot be of any meaningful help to Kenyans.

She for instance criticised the introduction of the Variable Scholarship and Loan Funding (VSLF)model, terming it as nothing short of a betrayal. "It shifts the burden of education onto the backs of students and their families, violating the very essence of Article 43(1)(f) of our Constitution, which guarantees the right to education."

According to Karua, this model was implemented without meaningful public participation, making it unconstitutional and discriminatory. She goes ahead to say that it exacerbates the socio-economic inequalities that already plague the country, denying young Kenyans the opportunity to better their lives through education.

Karua last month bolted out of the opposition Azimio coalition after Raila's ODM moved to work with Ruto by having four of its members join the cabinet.

NARC-Kenya formally expressed its interest in exiting the formation. The party's Acting Secretary General Asha Bashir made the announcement to Azimio Secretariat Secretary General Junet Mohamed in a letter dated July 25, 2024.

Bashir, in the letter, cited "prevailing political developments" as one of the reasons for the party's imminent exit from the opposition political faction.

"Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments," said the NARC-Kenya SG.

"As NARC Kenya by way of this letter, we are giving notice to exit the Coalition as stipulated in the exit clause (s) in the Coalition Agreement. This notice is effective from the date of this letter."