The last time a lady attempted to be President of Kenya was in 1997. She returned position five.
The gracious lady that time was a one term Kitui Central Mp Mrs Charity Kaluki Ngilu.
She was trounced by the then indefatigable fimbo ya Nyayo, President Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki and Wamalwa Kijana.
20 years later, the iron lady of Kenya Martha Wangari Karua wants her name printed on the ballot after they were defeated by President Ruto in 2022.
What has changed since 2022 to give Martha fake hope that she can defeat Ruto in 2027?
Ms Karua comes from the increasingly restive GEMA community still hurting over the removal of Riggy G as DP.
The Murima hides a tenacious voting block that decides Kenya’s presidential ballot.
GEMA is decisive when voting time arrives. Karua must have realised that in 2022 when her villagers voted decisively for Ruto. Against her own ballot with Raila Odinga.
Now that GEMA is in a foul political mood, it will be interesting to see who between her and Riggy G the community will back against Ruto in 2027.
Give to her. Martha Karua, SC has political balls. She fought Moi fiercely, even walking out on him when it was almost treason to do so.
She FOUGHT for President Kibaki in 2007, gave him the second term he craved for and plunged Kenya to chaos.
It was Martha Karua, armed with bare hands who forced Electoral Commission of Kenya Chairman Samuel Kivuitu to swear in a trembling Kibaki on 30th December 2007.
She menacingly charged at the ODM brigade at KICC led by James Orengo, William Ruto et al. And chased them out of KICC.
Karua intent for the job
Her position as pertains to corruption is clear. She is in a short list of political leaders who pass the integrity test.
A member of the senior counsel bar, Karua kicked her career as a magistrate known as Martha Njoka.
Njoka of course disappeared along the way but she has soldiered on to raise a neat family.
She has fought and won several social battles some of which are in public domain.
After her judiciary career, Karua went to become a fiery Gichugu MP
She joined the Mwai Kibaki Cabinet in 2003 and went on to play critical roles that shaped the Kibaki Presidency
Water reforms
It was during her tenure as Water Ministry that the sector was radically reforms.
The World Bank driven reforms were effortlessly midwived by Karua
WARMA, Tanathi, National Water and Pipeline Conservation came to be
Other than Raila Odinga, Karua is considered as an outstanding contributor to the enhancement and entrenchment of democracy in Kenya
The misses
Karua was part and parcel of the rogue side of Kibaki Government.
She served as Constitutional Affairs minister when Artur Margaryan and Artur Sangasyan terrorized Kenya.
The two Armenians criminals were recruited to the police force as Constables one bright Tuesday morning.
In the evening, the Police promotions board sat and promoted them to Deputy Commissioners of Police.
They would later raid the Standard Newspaper printing press, terrorise journalists and even burn the days newspaper edition.
Karua is a decisive leader, but on this day she chose to remain in a rogue government that was threatening the very space she had carved during the ugly Moi days.
In 2007, Karua was in the mix during what is independent Kenya’s worst electoral fraud. She witnessed the Tharaka Nithi and Juja miracle in which more votes than registered voters were confered to Kibaki.
She was among the Kibaki advisors along side Kiraitu Murungi, Chris Murungaru, John Michuki who advised Kibaki to kick out Raila and Kalonzo Musyoka from government.
It must however be said that when push became shove, Karua finally resigned from the Kibaki Government.
During the Kofi Annan peace talks, Karua for PNU and William Ruto for ODM were labelled hardliners. This confirms the widely held view that when it matters most, Karua delivers.
If ever Kenya was to have a lady President, Karua it is. This certainly won’t happen in 2027.
There is another route to power for Karua. Accept to the running mate of the most likely eventual 2027 winner…are you with us Mr Mutuse?
