Senior Counsel Martha Karua has come forward to clarify the reasons behind her decision to withdraw from the legal case involving blogger and activist Ndiang’ui Kinyagia.
Karua explained that she was not representing Kinyagia in her personal capacity, but was appearing in court jointly with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK). When the LSK decided to formally exit the case, Karua had no legal grounds to remain involved, which forced her to step aside as well.
The former Justice Minister, who now leads the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), was responding to growing public concerns that Kinyagia had been left alone to face his legal battle after earlier support began to fade.
A viral social media post claimed that both Karua and the LSK had “abandoned” the embattled blogger, who had earlier claimed he was abducted but was later accused of faking his disappearance.
Karua quickly responded to those claims, insisting that she still believes Ndiang’ui deserves legal representation, even if she is no longer directly involved.
“I was appearing alongside the LSK, and once they sought to withdraw, I lost the legal standing to continue. That said, I still believe he should be represented,” Karua wrote in a public statement.
She further explained that her role in the case was tied to the LSK’s initial involvement, and without their presence, she could no longer appear in court on Kinyagia’s behalf.
Her legal participation was anchored in LSK’s authority, and once that anchor was removed, her appearance would no longer hold legal merit.
Karua also expressed her disapproval over how the situation was handled by the authorities, particularly when police officers reportedly stormed Kinyagia’s home without a search warrant.
“The police broke into his house unlawfully and terrorised the neighbourhood. I do not support how this matter was handled,” she added, stressing that she refrains from judging the blogger’s actions.
Ndiang’ui Kinyagia, who is a software engineer, recently appeared before the Milimani Law Courts on July 24, 2025. He was accompanied by his remaining legal team consisting of lawyers Kibe Mungai and Wahome Thuku.
Initially, the LSK had filed a habeas corpus petition, alleging that Kinyagia had been abducted by state operatives in unclear circumstances.
However, the case took a dramatic turn when it emerged that Kinyagia may have deliberately gone into hiding, raising serious doubts about the validity of the petition. This revelation damaged the credibility of the legal case and led to the LSK reassessing its involvement.
Subsequently, the LSK’s legal representatives, VR Advocates & Partners LLP, filed a formal request to withdraw from the matter. Their reason was based on contradictions in Kinyagia’s account and a collapse in trust between him and his legal team.
As the legal saga continues, Kinyagia has now been given 14 days by the court to submit a sworn affidavit detailing his alleged disappearance on June 21.
His next legal steps could determine whether the case will regain traction or further unravel amid public scrutiny and legal doubt.
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