Over the weekend, Martha Karua and Rigathi Gachagua came together to issue a strong statement against what they called state repression in Kenya.
The two opposition leaders made the remarks while attending the inaugural “Ngemi Cia Ruraya” cultural festival held at Saghalie Park in Seattle.
The event brought together Kenyans living in the Pacific Northwest of the United States for a celebration of their roots and a conversation about the country’s current direction.
Although Karua and Gachagua appeared together at the festival, Karua made it clear that they had been invited independently and had traveled separately.
In a post on X, she said she was the chief guest at the festival while Gachagua, who attended with his wife Pastor Dorcas Gachagua, had his own separate invitation and travel plans.
Despite these differences, their appearance together and the message they shared attracted a lot of attention back in Kenya.
Karua, who chairs the People’s Liberation Party and has long been known for her advocacy for civil rights, used the platform to sharply criticize the government. She called for a total change in leadership and political values, saying Kenyans deserve a system based on justice and human dignity.
According to her, the country is being run by leaders who have no respect for life or the rule of law. She accused the state of committing serious crimes against its citizens, including abduction, murder, and theft. Her speech was firm and emotional, touching on the growing anger many Kenyans feel about the way the country is being governed.
Gachagua, now the leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party and formerly the Deputy President, backed Karua’s statements. Speaking directly to the Kenyan diaspora, he accused the current regime of using government power to silence critics.
He focused especially on how the government is dealing with young people who are raising their voices online and in protests. He said some Gen Zs have already been killed and others are being dragged through courts on false charges just for standing up and speaking out.
Gachagua said the government is using fear as a weapon, but he urged Kenyans not to stay silent or give in. He said it was time for citizens to be brave and confront the problem head-on.
The fact that both Karua and Gachagua, two former political rivals, spoke in one voice sent a powerful message. Their joint stand, though unplanned, showed how deeply the issue of repression is affecting leaders across the opposition.
Their words may have been spoken far from Kenya, but the message hit home for many watching closely.
