Martha Wangari has never done things by half. She is a Kenyan of the generation that is only now getting into corporate ladder. She has done her woman juggling career and motherhood thing as a lawyer and magistrate. She has brought up two kids as a single mother. She took care of her in laws despite divorcing from her husband.
As a politician, those who have the unKenyan habit of remembering things beyond one year, recall her walking out on the former presidential reprobate who was feared throughout the land when he deigned to disrespect her in her constituency. And of course her defense of the slumberer one in statehouse in Dec 2007.
Martha Karua has admirable human qualities one doesn't normally associate with Kenyan politicians:
- Loyalty-she one of two or three long-serving MPs who can show allegiance to less than two parties
- Integrity-I don't know of any corruptions acts even by association. Wamugunda was not married.
- Courage-I think I saw a cartoon with akina UK, Kalonzo et al hiding behind her skirts during the 2008 negotiations. And of course resigning where others would rather die does take courage.
- Reformer-water boards were her creation, and she played a huge role in the so-called 2nd liberation.
- Intelligence-Again in short supply in our bunge but her debates in parliament and elsewhere tend to bring some balance.
7 comments:
We get the leaders we deserve.
Unlike you to be cryptic...
Whether I agree or disagree with her views.. she has principles...
BUT... that said... she did tell/demand that ODM go to the courts for 'justice' knowing that the Kenyan judicial system is full of rot.
And so it was disingenuous to attack the same lethargic/corrupt judicial system that she wanted ODM to go to for justice.
Karua has failed on two very important issues to even be considered a material to lead the country i.e. on tribalism and making right judgement.
Hence I would sum Karua=kibaki=Karua=status quo
CT-Martha has always she believes in the rule of law. And that was the basis which she asked ODM to head to court. Her reforms of the Judiciary have focused on ways to make it reduce the caseload which stands at 850k+.
JM-Not sure what you mean about her judgement. The tribalism tag is a cheap shot and false. Mungatana, Asman are not well-known wasapere are they?
i wouldn't call a purist tribalist and promoter of impunity/anti reform a reformer or not a tribalist just because of tokenist actions or his use of a few opportunist like kalonzo, saitoti, wetangulia etc.
Similarly from observations and reading analysis of many sober commentators I can tell you Karua who is worked under kibaki for close to 16 years falls short of the bench mark to escape the tribalist tag unless mine is too high.
Karua's played a good role in her reformist days but this has since been overshadowed by her judgement to support a corrupt and illegitimate president. if you recall 2007 though I know on this despite all credible organisations, which we all agreed with when they castigated moi for vote stealing, evidencing that kibaki stole the vote and even if himself came out to say so some still believe he won.
her judgement into question again, when she and her mentor kibaki supported d.p presentation to bomas on constitution only to get into power and discard it.
her judgement again, after defeat of wako draft.
sorry for writing in short form.
as i keep saying r.o would make a 5 times better leader than a combination of karua, kibaki/michuki despite his shortcomings.
RAO- replace his name in all those pts you've made and he fits. But I think he did well during the moi yrs.
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