Try and fail, but never fail to try!
That has been Caroline Wanjiku Muriithi's philosophy in her 16-year political journey.
Her journey to being elected Karumandi MCA and the only elected woman legislator in the Kirinyaga county assembly was no mean feat.
In a crowded race of 12 candidates, Muriithi secured her victory through the UDA party with 4,834 votes against Jubilee's Harrison Muchina who garnered 3,774 votes.
Muriithi was introduced to politics by Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua in 2006. She developed a passion for serving in political leadership positions and in 2007, she bagged a councillor’s position courtesy of Narc Kenya party in the defunct Kirinyaga county council.
With the introduction of devolved in 2013, Mureithi's smouldering desire to serve Karumandi ward prompted her to throw her hat into the ring once more. She lost the election.
“After I lost the seat, I pursued my personal businesses but I did not retreat from politics. This is because I believed I still had the calling to serve the people of Karumandi. My ears and eyes were on the ground and I campaigned vigorously,” Muriithi says.
She went to the ballot once again in 2017 but lost a second time. However, all was not lost because her hard work was eventually rewarded by being handed a nomination slot to represent gender in the second assembly.
She did not settle into a comfort zone in her nominated position but consistently got in touch with the ward residents as her eyes were still on the ball.
She narrates that the journey to clinch the seat was not easy as it was paved with tears, pain, hard work and frustrations which she attributes to having equally moulded her into a woman of steel.
Her resilience was well portrayed on a number of occasions she encountered difficulties in the course of her campaigns.
One memorable instance was when she was at the centre of mayhem that erupted during a UDA’s bottom up economic forum held in the county in June and which was attended by Deputy President-elect Rigathi Gachagua.
Muriithi was roughed up by goons allied to a county politician, insulted and was on the verge of being stripped by her attackers, but luckily police rushed to her rescue.
According to her, the goons who attacked her mercilessly told her to instantly leave as she was not welcome to the function.
She further recalls how she was on the verge of losing her victory to one of her competitors during the UDA nominations.
Muriithi says the competitor expressed his dissatisfaction with the results and filed a court case which did not bear any fruit as she eventually retained the UDA ticket.
With her dream having come true, she now pledges to serve her ward with undivided attention and diligence.
Mureithi will be the only female elected MCA in the incoming assembly and the third elected female ward representative since 2013.
Others who served before her in the first assembly were Rahab Karienye of Mukure ward and Jennifer Nyaga of Ngariama ward.
Edited by A.N
