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Karua vs Rigathi: Two rivals eyeing 6m Central votes

Karua vs Rigathi: Two rivals eyeing 6m Central votes
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua and former Cabinet minister Martha Karua. The two faced off in a lively debate last night. PD/John Ochieng
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A bite of the 5.8 million Central Kenya vote. That was the main target for the choice of  former Cabinet minister Martha Karua and Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua as  running mates for the leading presidential candidates.

Karua, who faced off with Rigathi in a debate last night, is  Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s running-mate, while Rigathi will be Deputy President William Ruto’s second-in-command if they win the State House race in three weeks.   

A sharply dressed  Gachagua was the first to arrive at the Catholic University venue of the debate, accompanied by Kenya Kwanza stalwarts Moses Kuria (Gatundu South) and Ndindi Nyoro of Kiharu.

Karua, who donned her signature Kitenge attire, arrived later accompanied by her grandchildren.

Azimio honchos could not disguise the fact that Karua’s pick was a double-pronged strategy not only to tap into Mt Kenya but also to excite women by putting one of their own on the ticket of a candidate with the potential of being president. 

Indeed, the choice of the candidates triggered celebrations in their central Kenya backyards, with that of Karua attracting accolades from women leaders who described it as historic.  

While on the campaign trail, Karua has packaged herself as a tested crusader for reform, a fighter against corruption as well as a formidable enforcer of Raila’s credentials, without appearing to walk ahead of him. It is notable that she has been restrained in her attacks on Rigathi, projecting Ruto as their main competitor. 

The unsaid narrative is that her choice was also targeted to calm the anxieties of Mt Kenya residents that have often surrounded Raila’s presidential ambitions.

The Azimio campaign seems to have assigned Karua the task of painting Ruto as an “angry man” disrespectful of his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has thrown his weight behind Raila.  

On the other hand, Rigathi, an administrator, has sought to complement Ruto’s hustler campaign that largely centres on bottom-up-economic models, anchored on their modesty backgrounds. 

Rigathi has lately taken the battle to Karua, who he says has no moral authority to “lecture” Kenya Kwanza on respect for Uhuru, saying she has never supported him in any political contest or during the International Criminal Court cases at Hague. 

Leaders and strategists from the Raila and Ruto campaigns yesterday expressed confidence that the running mates will deliver on their expectations. 

Deliver the votes

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi says that Rigathi has demonstrated that he will deliver the Mt Kenya vote. The first-term Mathira MP has the huge task of delivering President Uhuru Kenyatta’s central Kenya power base, which opinion polls show is still in the grip of the Deputy President and Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate, William Ruto.

“Our presidential running mate has demonstrated that he has a good following in his backyard.  He has captivated the imagination of the people and has great influence, which will help us deliver victory.”  Mudavadi told People Daily

“I have gone round with him and I can say that Rigathi is very articulate, a good thinker and an effective debater,” Mudavadi said in a phone interview ahead of last night’s debate. 

Prof Makau Mutua, the spokesman of the Raila presidential campaign, argues that Karua’s record in past governments and human rights movements will hand Azimio a critical constituency.

According to Mutua,  Karua and Rigathi are a stark contrast. “The candidatures of Karua and Rigathi are a contest between virtue, as demonstrated by Karua, and vice, demonstrated by Rigathi,” said Makau. 

 “Debates at the presidential level are meant for contrasting of the candidates to establish which one is in line with where the country is, and where it wants to go.

“We expect Karua to demonstrate through her depth of experience in government, civil society, and human rights, and to showcase our manifesto,” said Makau. 

“The other gentleman has shown, by the way he talks, that he has used power in the past for political aggrandizement. His history and conduct has demonstrated his  dark side,” said the law professor. 

While announcing his choice, Raila said Karua was a comrade in the struggle — with whom they differed in the past, but still share ideology. Raila also indicated he was keen to give the position to a woman in what may turn out as a history-making  ticket of the two next month. 

 Raila, while unveiling Karua as his number two, said: “We have decided that the holder of the Deputy President’s office has to be a woman. I will describe this woman — at the age of 24, she became one of the youngest magistrates. She was also among the youngest parliamentarians when elected to office in 1992. When I was arrested and placed in detention, she led a team of 27 lawyers who defended me at great personal risk”. 

And Karua said: “I have been in the trenches with Raila; we have come a long way in the struggle and the fight for the second liberation. We urge you to please come and walk with us”. 

Ruto also explained his choice of Rigathi, whom he described as “a fantastic grassroot mobiliser.”

The DP said he chose Rigathi because he cares about the common person. “He is a hard-working man who has always faced challenges head-on and I have confidence in him,” he said.

Accepting the challenge, Gachagua pledged loyalty to the DP and said that, contrary to assertions by critics that he might turn out to be a rebel within if they win, he would be loyal.

“People said that if Ruto picks me as his deputy I will cause trouble but that is not true. If you are brought up in a united family like I was, you cannot change when you are old. I am a man who has been in uniform and the language I know is to say, ‘Yes Sir’ to my boss,” said the former DO. 

President Uhuru who chairs the Azimio  Council  has endorsed Karua, downplaying their past political wars.  

During Madaraka day celebrations, Uhuru tacitly rallied for the Raila-Ruto ticket.

 “In August this year, if it is the wish of the electorate, we will have a chance of a woman shattering the glass ceiling by assuming the second-highest office in our republic,” the President said.

According to Makau, Raila’s pick was driven by the desire to settle on an individual with integrity, experience, represents diversity “and brings votes to the ticket and is presidential.”

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