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Some North Rift lawyers root for Karua as Raila’s running mate
Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga together with Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua on March 23, 2022 at Serena hotel during an event that saw Narc Kenya join the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
Some Law Society of Kenya (LSK) members in the North Rift are drumming up support for Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua to be named Raila Odinga's running mate.
The call comes as the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party burns the midnight oil in the hunt for a running mate for Mr Odinga, amid lobbying from various interest groups.
Led by senior counsel Nathan Oburu, the lawyers described Ms Karua as a firm defender of democracy and the rule of law.
Clean record
Mr Oburu said due to her in-depth knowledge of the law, all Kenyans stand to benefit from her leadership in an Odinga government.
He said Kenyans are yearning for leaders like Ms Karua, who has never been implicated in any corruption scandal though she has held senior positions in government.
Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga (2nd L)together with Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua (C) and some women leaders on March 23, 2022 at Serena hotel when Narc Kenya joined the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
Speaking to journalists in Eldoret, Mr Oburu urged the coalition's leaders, including former vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka and President Uhuru Kenyatta, to unanimously rally behind Ms Karua as Odinga’s running mate.
"In the spirit of the rule of law and integrity, as well as gender issues, as senior lawyers from the North Rift, we would pray that the task force considers Ms Martha Wangari Karua as a woman of integrity who deserves to be Odinga’s running mate," Mr Oburu said.
A firm leader
Lawyer James Ondieki said Ms Karua is a principled leader who cannot be arm-twisted and deserves the Deputy President’s seat in the August 9 elections.
“We need leaders like Karua to work with Raila Odinga to ensure the rule of law and protection of the public resources. Due to her clean record we have confidence in her leadership if elected as DP,” said Mr Ondieki.
The same sentiments were echoed by Stanley Kagunza, an Eldoret advocate vying for the Likuyani parliamentary seat on an ODM ticket.
Sterling perfomance
He said Ms Karua stands a better chance to become the next Deputy President due to her sterling performance as a constitutional affairs minister in the Mwai kibaki administration.
Mr Kagunza, an LSK council member for Eldoret, also said if Azimio picks Karua, “we are going to score on gender issues as a coalition”.
Their sentiments came after the Azimio Women Group, a pro-Odinga political organisation, said it will support Ms Karua as Mr Odinga’'s running mate, noting that her experience qualifies her to be Kenya's first female Deputy President.
