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Martha Wangari Karua, the leader of NARC-Kenya party, could be the running mate of Raila Odinga, the presidential candidate of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition.
All signs point to her direction, and unless Odinga pulls a surprise contrary to the public opinion and the palpable political atmosphere, Karua the senior counsel, will be the running mate.
Born in 1957, Karua, the daughter of Jackson Karua and Josephine Wanjiru, has been in the corridors of Kenyan politics for quite some time and has seen and experienced much. A former rival of Raila Odinga, and a reputable advocate of the High Court in Kenya, Karua was the minister for Justice during Kenya’s darkest moment in the aftermath of the 2007 post-election violence.
In 2008, after the grossly marred general election that nearly plunged Kenya into civil war, President Mwai Kibaki appointed Karua as the minister in charge of Justice. It is believed that the Narc-Kenya party leader was one of the hardliners on Kibaki’s side during the negotiations for peace following the 2007/8 post-election violence.
It’s widely said that the ‘Iron Lady’, as she is referred to sometimes, didn’t want the late President to form a coalition government with Raila Odinga, who claimed to have won the polls and rigged out. Nonetheless, a grand coalition government was formed with Kibaki as President and Raila as the Premier.
A year later, Karua would resign from the cabinet as the Minister for Justice. She cited a lack of political goodwill and support in discharging her duties as minister.
The former Member of Parliament for Gichugu Constituency has a reputation as a tough woman who speaks her mind and a strong defender of Kenyans’ rights in general, particularly the rights of women. She is also known to have participated in the fight for democracy in Kenya.
In April this year, Karua, the second child in a family of eight, made news when she joined Raila’s Azimio la Umoja alliance, thus supporting the former Prime Minister’s presidential bid. It’s believed that Karua’s union with Raila was choreographed by President Uhuru, who strongly supports the Azimio camp over the Kenya Kwanza alliance, headed by Deputy President William Ruto.
The vote-abundant Mount Kenya region has since fronted her as the fittest person to deputize Raila. They argue that Karua will deliver the votes from the Mountain and thus help Baba, Raila’s favorite nickname, to ascend to State House. Those who vouch for her also argue that choosing her will be a big win for women in Kenya, as she will bring gender balance to the equation. The Constitution of Kenya requires state organs to observe the 2/3 gender rule, which has proven easier said than done.
Karua attended the interviews for the Azimio la Umoja running mates, alongside several others who are eyeing the position. Sources indicate that Karua scored the highest in the discussions, beating other favorites like Kalonzo Musyoka and Peter Kenneth.
The interview panel looked at several issues, including a candidate’s experience, their potential votes that they will deliver to Raila, regional balance, and loyalty to Raila.
The Kikuyu Council of Elders has also said that Karua is the best candidate, and they are rooting for her to be nominated for the position.
“We only have four candidates for Raila’s running mate from Mt Kenya. We will support them, but from our experience, we will be happy if we get Martha Karua as the running mate and later the Deputy President to Mr. Odinga,” the elders said Tuesday in a statement.
And it is like Kalonzo Musyoka, who has always insisted that it is him and no one else who should be given the running mate position, has got wind of the developments. He said he would address the state concerning his next political move on Sunday. Dan Maanzo, a key ally of the Wiper Party leader, also said that the party would head to the High Court on Monday to petition to be allowed to exit the Azimio coalition. Notably, the former vice president skipped Azimio’s major rally in Kamukunji, Nairobi, on Sunday afternoon.
Interestingly, in Azimio la Umoja’s recent campaigns Karua has always insisted that she’ll stick with Odinga, regardless of the running mate interview results. She has also appealed to the rest of the candidates to stick together even after the announcement.
On Sunday, Raila said he would announce his running mate on Monday at 11 a.m.
“Nimeangalia hali ya anga na nataka kuwaambia kwamba kesho saa tano kule KICC nitatangaza,” Raila said.
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