Former Attorney General and Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has strongly criticised ODM leader Raila Odinga over his recent defence of the government, accusing him of normalising impunity and misleading Kenyans.
Speaking to ODM legislators on Monday, Raila argued that it was “better to have a bad government than none at all,” saying his pact with President William Ruto was necessary to prevent Kenya from sliding into chaos following the 2024 Gen Z-led protests.
But in a hard-hitting statement on Tuesday, Muturi dismissed Raila’s remarks as reckless and dangerous, warning that such sentiments risk lulling Kenyans into accepting corruption and poor governance as inevitable.
“When Raila Odinga and ODM argue that ‘it is better to have a bad government than none at all,’ they are dangerously wrong. The statement is meant to stoke fear, to lull citizens into accepting mediocrity and even grand corruption as the natural order of things,” Muturi said.
The former AG likened Raila’s position to telling a family whose house is on fire not to complain because “at least they still have a roof — even if it is about to collapse on them.”
Muturi stressed that bad governments are not harmless placeholders but “predatory machines” that loot public resources, repress dissent, and crush citizens’ hopes for a better future.
He also rejected Raila’s warning that delegitimising a regime risks creating a power vacuum, pointing to countries like Nepal where citizens used periods of political turbulence to push for reforms and stronger democratic systems.
“Kenya is not a stateless society that collapses if one president or regime is delegitimised. Article 134 of the Constitution ensures continuity in executive functions, while Parliament, county governments, the judiciary, and the civil service remain operational,” Muturi said.
The former National Assembly Speaker warned that normalising bad governance emboldens cartels and entrenches impunity:
“A bad government tells its cronies, ‘Go ahead, steal more; no one will stop you.’ It institutionalises theft, drains money meant for hospitals, schools, and roads, and creates a culture where abductors and killers in state uniforms can silence dissent without consequence.”
Muturi urged Kenyans to reject fear-driven narratives and demand accountability, insisting that political compromise should never come at the cost of enabling corruption or eroding the rule of law.
