high-profile woman

Can Kenya’s ‘Iron Lady’ Martha Karua push Raila over the top?

in depth

This article is part of the dossier:

Kenya 2022: Who will win the great race?

By Son Gatitu

Premium badge Reserved for subscribers

Posted on June 1, 2022 09:59

Martha Karua (twitter: @MarthaKarua)
Martha Karua (twitter: @MarthaKarua)

Presidential candidate Raila Odinga made Kenyan history this month when he chose as his running mate the first woman to ever join a major party ticket. But will she be able to push the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance leader to the top?

With the former justice minister in his corner, Raila is hoping to appeal to several key constituencies that could put him over the top in the razor-tight August race against Deputy President William Ruto.

In addition to women and champions of gender equality, Karua also appeals to the central Mt. Kenya region – which is widely seen as a key battleground in this year’s election – thanks to her two decades in parliament as the representative for Kirinyaga County. An advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Karua, 64, is also known for her tough stance against corruption.

There's more to this story

Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.

Subscribe Now

cancel anytime

Also in this in Depth:

new broom

Nigeria faces inflation spike as President Tinubu promises end to fuel subsidy Nigeria’s newly inaugurated President, Bola Tinubu, has put an end to the long-standing petrol subsidy, which has drained billions of dollars from the country’s economy since its inception in the mid-1970s. Analysts tell The Africa Report this bold move will trigger a more than 200% rise in petrol prices and spark immediate inflation.

parallel control

Zimbabwe: How intelligence and military are running the upcoming general polls Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has created a parallel structure run by the State’s Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to run internal polls of the ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF), and influence the outcome of the upcoming elections.

fight fire with fire

DRC: With Peter Kazadi, the best defence is attack Accused of having used disproportionate force on Saturday 20 May when opponents of Félix Tshisekedi had called for demonstrations in Kinshasa, the government went on the offensive again on Wednesday 24 May, pointing the finger at those it considers to be primarily responsible for the situation. “The government does not intend to allow itself to be pushed around,” warned Peter Kazadi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, at a press briefing.

'Political persecution'

Angola: Unitel targets Isabel dos Santos in London court Unitel, once run by Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of late Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos, is demanding the repayment of around $400m worth of loans. The case, kicked off by Angola’s leading telecoms operator in November 2020 before a London court, took a step forward at a hearing held on 23 May.