How Karua Is Misleading Raila With Public Holiday Announcement

Political analyst Gabriel Muthuma expressed his belief that NARC Kenya party leader, Martha Karua, baited Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga into inciting him against President William Ruto's government by declaring Monday, March 20 a public holiday.

Speaking on Wednesday, March 15 during an interview with NTV, Muthuma opined that Karua wanted to trap the former Prime Minister by unlawfully declaring the public holiday, despite her avid knowledge of the law.

He added that Karua was turning Raila against the Kenya Kwanza government, pushing him into a fight that she would eventually not be a part of.

Photo of political analyst Gabriel Muthuma. /FILE

“I actually think that Martha Karua is playing Raila Odinga. This is because if there is one person who knows the law back to back is Martha Karua, so when she goes on stage picks a microphone, and tells Raila Odinga to come and proclaim that 20 March would be a public holiday fully well knowing the office that is mandated to gazette public holidays,” stated Muthuma.

“You cannot say she is operating on ignorance that can be forgiven. What Martha Karua is doing is to incite Raila against the government and when the fight is happening, she will not be in the vicinity but would somewhere behind laughing.”

On Tuesday, March 14, Karua had pleaded with Raila to declare March 20 a public holiday, lamenting that Kenyans cannot protest on Monday and go to work.

"I am requesting Raila to declare that day a public holiday to allow us to complete this work. We cannot keep having elections rigging every year, it has to stop.

"The people must use their constitutional right to ensure that they allow the person who the people chose to take over the leadership of the country. Let us join the rally to save this nation. This fight is for the people of Kenya," Karua stated.

Raila then agreed to Karua's request and declared March 20 as a public holiday in a move to allow Azimio supporters to participate in demonstrations. 

However, the Constitution of Kenya in the Public Holiday Act only gives the Minister for Interior the mandate to declare public holidays through a Gazette at any time he thinks fit. Section 3 of the Act gives the Interior minister powers to declare as a public holiday any day outside the originally-assigned public holidays.