Thanks to Karua, Raila is on his way to the peak of the Mountain

Raila Odinga has never been a political darling of the Mt Kenya region, largely due to the historical, political and social orientation of its people. The historic March 2018 handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta marked the beginning of Raila’s momentous albeit huddle-filled political march into the heart of the mountain. Political credits for the remarkable entry, penetration and the ever-increasing political influence of Raila in the region is attributable to the President’s boldness in declaring and rallying his support for Raila’s presidency. In essence, the President prepared his community and political base for a non-Kikuyu presidency and demystified Raila, the hitherto not-so-loved politician.

Beyond the handshake, perhaps the most defining moment that may have given Raila the golden ticket to the presidency was his intrepid move to designate Martha Karua as his running mate. The spontaneous celebrations the pronouncement sparked across the mountain were a clear testament that Martha captures the imagination and heart of not only her community but that of Kenyans at large with her influence, which stems from a number of factors.

The image that remains etched in the minds of the Mt Kenya people is that of Martha zealously standing for their rights during the 2007 post-election violence. The spectacular role she played in the ensuing negotiations that culminated in the creation of the Government of National Unity deeply endeared her to the people of the Mountain.

Martha exemplified courage, determination and loyalty to the cause of justice not only for her community but also for the people of Kenya. Since then, she has been perceived as the bulwark of the Mountain’s interests and the imminent exit of president Uhuru serves to bolster this position.

Unfathomable heights

The Mountain has a rare affinity for courageous leaders whom they refer to as ‘Njamba’ with fond reverence. Karua is no doubt a ‘njamba’; a warrior escalating her political influence and appeal to unfathomable heights.

No wonder she can singlehandedly and effortlessly pull huge crowds in the region in sharp contrast to her UDA counterpart Gachagua who, despite being touted as a great mobiliser, struggles to attract a marginal crowd.

Save for the 24 years of Moi’s regime, the Kenyan presidency has been a preserve of the Mountain since independence. Naturally (consciously or sub-consciously), a sense of insecurity and trepidation hovered over the Mountain in the absence of a potential president from the region. With the looming power disruption, the Mountain fervently hoped for the emergence of an influential figure to fill the palpable political void. Enter Martha, squarely fitting the bill and defraying the fear of the Mountain.

Karua’s entry into the presidential arena has, to an undeniable extent, neutralised Ruto’s influence in the region. In principle, Ruto’s ascendancy as an influential political figure in the Mountain did little to dispel the deeply ingrained Mt Kenya’s political insecurity and fear of being outsiders in government. In a move to perhaps assuage these fears, Ruto’s choice of Gachagua as his running mate was not only uninspiring but also served to conjure up and cement in the minds of the Mountain a mirror image of the much dreaded 24 years of Moi’s regime.

Martha’s political approach in the region speaks to the hearts of the people with immense humility and, if the recent opinion polls are anything to go by, it has borne fruit.

Her charming political message is sinking deeper than the insipid wheelbarrow rhetoric that is out of sync with the economic and social orientation of the Mountain. She has proven ability to rally the Mountain, the women of Kenya and all Kenyans who yearn for  meaningful leadership towards the progressive Raila’s presidency.

Martha’s unimpeachable political career is an inspiration to many and fosters confidence in the people of the Mountain that their future and that of their children will be in safe hands.

The community, and indeed the country can bank on her trustworthiness. Having listened to her and observed the body language of her Mountain audience, there is something about her that inspires trust.

The community regards her as a president-in-waiting more than they perceive Gachagua; banish any thought of the latter as such! Martha is no ordinary politician; she transcends the narrow confines of tribe and gender to become one of the greatest stateswomen Kenya will ever have. This, more than any other factor, has propelled Raila’s influence in the Mountain, with Martha becoming the Queenpin of the region.

Martha’s charisma is so potent that she has politically held the Mountain in Raila’s thrall. Her charisma is premised on her singleminded self-assurance and her sense of purpose at a time when the nation is grappling with unprecedented levels of poverty, hopelessness and disillusionment. Kenyans now have a bankable assurance that Raila together with the Iron Lady will slay the dragon of corruption, advance indiscriminate justice and revive and create a thriving economy. The ticket is one of two leaders who have sacrificed immensely and endured a lot of pain for the sake of democratic space and social justice and demonstrated unassailable character.

Politicians the world over are masters of stirring up and exploiting discontentment of the masses with the prevailing circumstances without sparking their imaginations about the future.

Pragmatic approaches

Unlike her UDA counterparts, Martha has desisted from exploiting the current discontentment of the masses and has instead been expounding pragmatic approaches towards addressing the current national ills and painting a believable future.

The Raila-Karua ticket epitomises hope at a time when the nation is gripped with hopelessness.

 In the words of Martin Luther King Jnr, “People are often led to causes and often become committed to great ideas through persons who personify those ideas. They have to find the embodiment of the idea in flesh and blood in order to commit themselves to it.”

The Raila-Martha ticket aptly personifies a new Kenya, a fresh breath of life in leadership.

Martha is the silver bullet that has softened the hitherto stubborn mountain hearts for a Raila’s Presidency.

No doubt, she is the bridge of love between the mountain and Raila and a political diminisher of Ruto in the region.

Many in the mountain will go to the ballot to elect Martha, thus propelling Raila’s unstoppable march to State House! 

Nderi Ndiani is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.