Nairobi News

Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition presidential running mate Martha Karua has defended her infamous resignation from the late President Mwai Kibaki’s government back in 2009.

Speaking during the second-tier of the Deputy Presidential Debate on Tuesday evening at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Ms Karua said that by resigning as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs she honoured public office.

“One of the things that I felt let down on is the failure to tackle issues of graft,” she said in reference to her decision to quit government.

During the debate, UDA presidential running mate Rigathi Gachagua said Ms Karua is unfit to hold the office of Deputy President given that she opted to quit a smaller office due to pressure.

Ms Karua resigned on April 6, 2009, citing frustrations in discharging her duties. A few days before her resignation, President Kibaki had appointed judges, with Ms Karua later claiming that president made the appointments without her knowledge.

“I will handle this job independently and commitment to Kenyans and I know my principal who has been a teacher of politics,” Karua said.

Ms Karua was further put on the spot for her decision to support Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga, even after she once publicly stated that the ODM leader ought to retire with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Mr Gachagua also claimed that President Kenyatta has assigned roles to people who will succeed him in the event Azimio wins the election.

“He has said he assigned Martha Karua the role to jail people, I don’t know how she will do it. She is not a judge, she is not a court of law. It is the president who said she has put her there to jail people, he is on record,” Gachagua said.

But Ms Karua dismissed claims that she is a project of  President Kenyatta, adding that the outgoing head of state will not influence the Azimio government in any way.

“The incoming administration will be a Raila Odinga’s presidency,” she said.