Azimio women want Martha Karua named Raila's running mate

A section of female leaders from the AzimioLa Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition now wants Martha Karua to be named the ODM leader Raila Odinga’s running mate.

Speaking today at the Jacaranda Hotel in Nairobi, the women leaders drawn from 26 different political parties agreed on the push to have Karua named as a running mate.

CAS Ministry of Public Service and Gender Programmes Rachael Wambui Shebesh was also present alongside ODM’s women league leader Beth Syengo.

“We don’t know why you cannot see the value of Martha. Her record speaks for itself. Karua is one of the formidable female politicians in the country who have the ability to sway crowds towards a particular direction.” Shebesh said.

“We are now in the negotiation space for her, irrespective of which political party we come from.”

Shebesh said the move will be good for Raila and that it will give women hope that they can be leaders at the level of a deputy president.

“The rest of the names that are lobbying around Azimio, we wish them well, but we think our strategy might be the winning one.

Both Raila and Deputy President William Ruto's camps are dangling the running mate slot to woo Mt Kenya voters.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has on the other hand insisted on being ODM leader Raila Odinga's running mate for the third time.

This complicates Azimio's power-sharing deal with Mt Kenya, which wants the second-in-command slot.