Nairobi, Kenya – In a stark assessment of the region’s political climate, veteran politician and People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has warned that a pattern of state repression and shrinking civic space is spreading across East Africa, demanding a unified citizen response to uphold constitutional governance.
Speaking during an interview with Spice FM on Monday, Karua framed recent events in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda not as isolated incidents, but as a coordinated trend threatening the foundational principles of the East African Community (EAC). She pointed to alleged state-sanctioned brutality, cross-border abductions, and an increasing disregard for institutional checks and balances.
“These three countries were joined at the hip, and therefore, if you see your neighbour’s house on fire, know that it could spread to yours,” Karua stated, underscoring the regional nature of the challenge. “The only guarantee we have is ourselves, standing in solidarity. Sovereignty lies with the people.”
A Tri-Nation Pattern of Accountability Gaps
Karua’s analysis detailed specific governance failures in each nation:
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Tanzania: She cited the October 29 elections, alleging mass murder, disappearances, and the removal of bodies from hospitals. “I have received reports of people with gunshot wounds being taken away, never to be seen again,” she claimed, highlighting a critical deficit in transparent reporting and electoral accountability.
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Kenya: Directly addressing the domestic context, Karua referenced police violence during the 2023 and 2024 protests. She singled out incidents in Kisumu, Mathare, Kibera, and Githurai, where demonstrators were killed. Most critically, she alleged a shift in tactics in areas like Nyalenda and parts of Nairobi, where “people were hunted and shot in their residential areas, not outside demonstrating.” She warned that falsified official reports make ascertaining the true human toll impossible, eroding public trust.
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Uganda: Karua accused Ugandan authorities of maintaining a “similar pattern of violence at every general election,” referencing attacks on rallies led by opposition leader Bobi Wine as evidence of a sustained suppression of political plurality.
Regional Diplomacy and the “Mind Your Business” Doctrine
The former justice minister also challenged the growing isolationist rhetoric among regional leaders. She specifically took issue with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s recent remarks urging countries to “mind their own business,” calling the position a misunderstanding of the EAC’s foundational purpose.
“We have come together so that we can leverage good practices across the region. The Jumuia [Community] was not made for leaders to maintain themselves in power,” Karua asserted, framing cross-border civic concern as a legitimate and necessary element of regional integration.
Implications for Kenyan Civic Space
Karua’s warning places Kenya’s own democratic health within a broader regional context of backsliding. It raises urgent questions for local governance: the limits of police action during protests, the independence of oversight bodies, and the state’s commitment to transparent investigations into alleged extra-judicial actions. Her call for citizen solidarity signals a potential shift toward pan-East African civil society coordination as a counterweight to authoritarian trends.
The government has yet to formally respond to these specific allegations.
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