Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance presidential Flag bearer Raila Odinga while unveiling Martha Karua as his running mate in the forthcoming August 9, polls, described the NARC-Kenya Party leader as a fighter and not a quiter.
Martha Karua was selected out of 11 contenders for the same position, who wrere interviewed by a panel formed to advise and help the Azimio coalition flag bearer select a running mate.
During the much- anticipated address at KICC, Nairobi on Monday, May 16, Mr. Odinga expressed his reasons for picking the NARC Kenya boss to deputize him, saying that Karua is a safe pair of hands and a woman with a beautiful soul.
In addition, Raila recalled instances when Martha Karua had courageously supported him during the fight for constitutional change in the country.
“The woman we offer as proposed DP is known to have incredible credentials in the fight for our second liberation. In 1990, for instance, I was arrested and placed in detention without trial. At that time very few lawyers were prepared to defend me. But this woman, then a young lawyer, led a team of 27 lawyers to defend my legal detention,” Raila recalled.
Moreover, the ODM leader reported that, during the time when he moved the motion to set up select commitee on constitutional reforms in parliament, his colleagues in the opposition abandoned him and it was only Martha Karua and the late Joyce Moseti Anyona who stood by him.
He added, “This woman is a fighter and not a quitter.”
The former prime minister stated that Martha Karua would indeed be a remarkable deputy president, due to her push during the struggle for Kenya’s second liberation as well as her service to the country in several different capacities.
While announcing Karua as his running mate, Mr. Odinga mentioned that she would also be the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Constitutional Affairs if they win the presidential seat.
“As a co-worker I want her to finalise the work of making our Constitution. I want this done because when the late Kibaki and I admitted that our constitution was a work in progress… Because I am a man of my words, I will task her with the assignment of completing what we started and I am persuaded that she has the right pair of hands to accomplish this task,” he said.
In her acceptance speech, Karua said her appointment as second-in -comand was an historic moment for all Kenyan women. She vowed to fully support Raila and assured the nation that she was ready to be the country’s Deputy president.
“This nomination is truly a collective honour that cannot be left for me alone to savour, a personal as well as national journey,” “Baba has allocated me duties in advance and I want to confirm that I am ready, able and willing for those duties, I will not let you down. I will be steadfast, diligent in pursuit of our shared dreams and pursuits,” said the NARC-Kenya party leader.
