History repeats itself, so they say. As Kenya heads to the August 9 general election, we have seen the union of two of Kenya’s most veracious fighters for democracy in the country.
When Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga named Narc leader Martha Karua as his running mate, it was a nostalgic moment. It reminded Kenyans of the struggle the two waged against the authoritarian regime of former President Daniel Moi. In fact, Raila referred to the early struggle in which only Karua led a team of older lawyers to defend him when he was incarcerated without charge or trial by the Moi regime for his role in the clamour for multiparty democracy.
Kenya has for a long time clamoured for leaders who will rid the country of corruption and guard the gains of the 2010 Constitution, and there are no better leaders than the Raila-Karua ticket.
In Karua, Raila gets a firm leader described by many as the Iron Lady who, unlike many others, is fierce, an independent thinker and progressive.
In 2008, at the height of the post-election violence, we witnessed how steadfast and loyal she was to President Mwai Kibaki. This adds value to the qualities she brings to Raila, who has been surrounded by political novices who feed off him and later betray him.
Her nomination as Raila's running mate puts her in the annals of history as Kenya's first female deputy president, should Azimio win.
She will join the minority of women all over the world from New Zealand, Australia, the US, Germany, Liberia, and Tanzania who have had incredible roles as prime ministers, presidents, vice presidents or vice chancellors (in the case of Germany). She is untainted by graft and brings hands-on expertise and experience to Raila’s presidency.
Locally, Karua received many congratulations from women leaders across the political divide, signifying how important her nomination is to women leaders and to the advancement of democracy and female leadership in Kenya.
The institutionalisation of electoral rules is not the most interesting feature of democratic consolidation in a country like Kenya. But the political culture – the informal rules and norms that often shape the behaviour and expectations of all sorts of political actors.
Some of these norms and rules evolving over the years are the involvement of women in politics. We have witnessed many governors nominate women as their deputies, many women running as MPs signifying Kenya is finally challenging the norms of a male-dominated political scene.
However, the most significant of these is Karua’s nomination. It points to a country that is finally ready for female leadership at the very highest level.
It could not have come in a better candidate than the Narc-K party leader.
Having served as the Justice minister and having not only had the temerity to resign from government on principle and walk out of the President Moi’s political function, she adds to democratic ideals already exhibited by Raila.
Her nomination elicited mixed reactions in the Mt Kenya region, with many seeing it as a bold move by Raila to go after the vote-rich region by nominating one of their own as deputy president.
We await to see her influence in wooing the region that has for the last three years been dominated by their arch political rival – UDA led by Deputy President William Ruto and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua.
While the mountain seems to be with the latter for now, Karua will bank on her untainted credentials and other Azimio brigade leaders to at least bring some votes to Raila. This augmentation looks possible, judging by the overwhelming positive reaction to her nomination in the region.
Perhaps, we called the mountain too early for UDA. Whatever, she has rolled up her sleeves, she must do it now.
A Raila-Karua ticket brings a balance and legitimacy never before seen in Kenya and addresses many constitutional, historical, gender, ideological and institutional issues in one fell swoop. This adds value to Raila’s long clamour for constitutional reforms and democratic consolidation.
We have a date with destiny on August 9 to finally correct the ills that have bedeviled our country. Perhaps, we are finally on our way to Canaan and Karua is our Joshua to finish the journey!
Al Hajj Amin is a University lecturer
(Edited by V. Graham)