Martha the new Ruto

By Andrew Mirara

The Presidential campaigns have hit full gear following the official clearance by IEBC in which Former Prime Minister Right Honourable Raila Odinga, Deputy President His Excellency Dr William Samoei Ruto, Prof. George Wajackoyah and David Mwaure Waigiha were cleared.

Raila Odinga’s running mate Martha Karua has stepped up her campaigns in drumming support for her boss. In so doing, similarities are emerging in comparison to how Deputy President William Ruto campaigned for President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013, 2017 and the repeat elections of 2017.

It is not a secret that Raila Odinga doesn’t share the same energy to campaign vigorously as DP Ruto. But in Martha Karua, he has found someone who is able to hold several meetings in a day.

Azimio La Umoja - One Kenya Alliance coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga, and his running mate Martha Karua at the Azimio manifesto launch on Monday, June 6, 2022. |Courtesy| Twitter| — Azimio La Umoja – One Kenya Alliance coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga, and his running mate Martha Karua at the Azimio manifesto launch on Monday, June 6, 2022. |Courtesy| Twitter|

Chama cha Kazi Party Leader Moses Kuria once opined if it wasn’t for DP Ruto, Jubilee Party would not have won. He narrated that while those who took ‘something’ in the evening had a difficult time waking early, they would find Ruto having held three to four meetings by the time they caught up with him during the day. Martha Karua has shown the same zeal in campaigning.

In 2013 and 2017, DP William Ruto did not back down from trading barbs with Raila Odinga. Indeed in the repeat 2017 elections, he taunted the Natioal Super Alliance (NASA) Brigade that he alone was enough to deal with them and advised President Uhuru Kenyatta to continue with his work as head of state while he dealt with Nasa brigade.

Martha Karua has taken the same cue taking everything opportunity to discredit DP Ruto. In a veiled attack on DP Ruto, Karua said that being a good Christian is not demonstrated by carrying two bibles and quoting the bible rather it’s by deeds. DP Ruto is known to quote the bible every now and then and has held numerous harambees for churches.

While DP can be described as a great orator who thinks on his feet, the same cannot be said of Martha Karua. In the first days, she struggled but with time she has perfected her speeches. She has been able to package her message, which comes out clear and to the point. The downside of this is that with time becomes monotonous and rehearsed.

With less than sixty days to go, every candidate will try and exploit the weaknesses of their opponents.