'It is total disrespect to Kenyans’: Martha Karua says on President Kenyatta, DP Ruto public feud

NARC Kenya party leader Martha Karua now says that the ongoing feud between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, which has in recent days played out publicly, is disrupting the duo’s capacity to carry out their respective duties to the people of Kenya.

While ceding that disagreements occur in all coalitions, Karua underscored that President Kenyatta and DP Ruto need to find an amicable way to resolve their conflict.

Failure to which, she said, they should resign from their respective posts in order to save face and safeguard Kenya’s future.

“By bringing their wars to the public arena they both disrespect us as voters and as leaders. They must look for a way to have minimum conditions for working together and if they find it unattainable then the government should resign and we get new leadership,” Karua said on Citizen TV’s NewsNight show on Tuesday.

“So long as they continue to carry the flag of the presidency, they must in their public conduct and utterances honour the offices they hold and respect Kenyans. It is total disrespect to have that sort of exchange.”

Karua similarly chimed in on her February 2 decision to ink a coalition agreement with One Kenya Alliance (OKA), following the exit of Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC party and Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya party. 

Her move sparked debate that she might soon be revealed as Odinga’s running mate owing to the fact that she has remained coy on whether she will pursue Kirinyaga governor’s seat or a national seat at the August General Elections.

The Kenyan iron lady however told show host Waihiga Mwaura that she is qualified enough to serve the people of Kenya at both the county and national levels.

“I will continue playing both a local and national role and right from the time I was elected MP I have always played both a local and national role,” she explained.

While underscoring that DP Ruto never courted her for a partnership, she cited that Mudavadi and Wetangula were entitled to join DP Ruto and that people should come to terms with it.

“It was a loss for both OKA and them. They are however entitled to make their choices and we must respect that,” she added.

Karua similarly alluded that the new OKA alliance was open to forming coalitions with other individuals whose interests align with their own.

“I am a leader of a national party. I must lead my party to look for like-minded individuals so that we too can be at the table…as an individual I have my interests so it is possible to play a dual role,” she stated.

The NARC Kenya party boss consequently dismissed the notion that the sprint to State House is a two horse race between DP Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga, citing that Kenya has a rich list of other presidential candidates who can succeed President Kenyatta.