Just a little over Two and a half years since Kenya’s last General Election and Campaignings not yet officially open, drum beats are rolling, alliances are being formed and aspirants are coming out to declare interest in elective posts. In a country that never stops politicking, this is expected.
As Kenya gears up for the 2027 general elections, the East African nation may get its first female president after People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua announced her intention to run for Presidency.
Ms. Karua, who was Raila Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 general election under the Azimio la Umoja coalition, continues to play a prominent role in Kenya’s opposition politics, alongside other key leaders.
The Senior Counsel, Speaking in Isiolo county, likened national leadership to running a household, stating, "A mother ensures everyone is fed, whether there is plenty or little."
She urged Kenyans to consider electing a female president, arguing that previous male-led administrations have failed to unite the country.
“If it's God's will, the seat I seek is the presidency, so that as a woman, I can take care of Kenya the same way a mother cares for her household. A mother never lets even one child go to bed hungry; even when food is scarce, she shares it so that everyone gets something," Karua stated.
“You have tried men all these years, please, this time, try a woman from PLP," she added.
Karua has been on the political frontlines for many years, and in her earlier years in politics was an unbeatable constituency politician, winning a straight four terms in parliament, and only losing when she turned her sights to higher things.
Hon. Martha Karua made her first appearance as a student leader, and then later became more prominent as a lawyer during Kenya’s second liberation in 1992, when Kenya became a multi-party democracy. She has also formerly served as Minister of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs.
Ms. Karua has been an activist for the widening of the democratic domain as well as for gender equality.
She has been involved in advocating for women’s rights through general interest litigation, and in mobilisation and advocacy for statutes that augment and safeguard women’s rights through her work with diverse women’s organisations, particularly the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) and the League of Kenya Women Voters.
Ms. Karua does seem to have independent personal support among some voters as the ‘Iron Lady’ who has historically advocated for good governance, integrity and accountability in government and who has never been afraid to call out corruption. What remains to be seen is if she will defy the odds come 2027 and rise to the top seat.
