Former Attorney General and Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has launched a scathing attack on ODM leader Raila Odinga, accusing him of misleading Kenyans by defending his cooperation with President William Ruto.
Raila had told ODM lawmakers on Monday that “it is better to have a bad government than none at all,” arguing that his alliance with Ruto was necessary to save the country from collapse during the 2024 Gen Z protests.
But Muturi, in a hard-hitting statement on Tuesday, dismissed the remarks as reckless and dangerous. He accused Raila of legitimising impunity and conditioning citizens to tolerate corruption and misrule.
“When Raila Odinga and ODM claim that a bad government is preferable, they are dangerously wrong. It is a scare tactic designed to make Kenyans accept mediocrity and even grand corruption as normal,” Muturi said.
The former AG compared Raila’s stance to telling a family trapped in a burning house not to complain because “at least they still have a roof, even if it is collapsing.” He argued that bad governments are not passive placeholders but “predatory machines” that loot public resources, repress dissent, and strangle hope for a better future.
Muturi also pushed back against Raila’s claim that delegitimising a regime risks instability, pointing instead to examples like Nepal, where citizens used political turbulence to demand accountability and draft stronger democratic frameworks.
“Kenya does not collapse if one president or regime is delegitimised,” he said. “Our Constitution provides continuity. Article 134 ensures executive functions continue. Parliament sits. County governments remain functional. The judiciary operates. Civil servants run hospitals, schools, and essential services.”
He warned that normalising “bad governments” only emboldens corruption cartels. “A bad government tells its cronies to steal more because no one will stop them. It institutionalises impunity and erodes accountability,” Muturi said.
The former Speaker of the National Assembly urged Kenyans to reject fear-based politics and insist on integrity and accountability in leadership.
