Why I chose Raila over Ruto: Martha Karua responds to David Ndii
Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua has been forced to defend her decision of joining Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition in the run up to last year’s General Election.
This is after economist Dr David Ndii accused her of betraying their initial decision to back President William Ruto’s candidature as the Linda Katiba group.
As to why she opted to work with Mr Raila Odinga contrary to the initial plan, Karua said that her decision were based on respect to the Constitution.
“I agreed to collaboration with William Ruto limited to opposing the constitution. Later when William Ruto through his people and later himself I made it clear that I could not work with him,” Karua said in a tweet.
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Dr Ndii, who is the Chairperson of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) in President Ruto’s administration claimed that the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition principal had previously told him that she would not work with Mr Odinga.
“For whatever its worth, let me remind the Iron Lady that in run up to 2017, I approached her to join what became NASA and she said she couldn’t work with Raila, citing 2007, same reasons as what they are doing together today,” Dr Ndii said.
However, Ms Karua dismissed the allegations, stating that she was already working with the opposition chief from 2014.
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“I was already working with Raila Odinga as a friend of CORD from 2014 to 2017 and on deciding to run for governor Kirinyaga I shifted my support to Uhuru,” she said.
According to Dr Ndii, he was behind the formation of Linda Katiba together with Ms Karua, who was by then among the names that were being considered to be Dr Ruto’s running mate.
Dr Ndii and Ms Karua worked closely in Linda Katiba, together with activist Boniface Mwangi and Jerotich Seii, towards respect of the rule of law and constitutionalism before moving to different political camps in 2022 campaigns.
While Ms Karua and Mr Mwangi moved to the Azimio la Umoja camp, Dr Ndii joined the Kenya Kwanza side while Ms Seii remained neutral until 2023 when she decided to join UDA. She contested and lost the party primaries for the Elgeyo Marakwet senatorial race.
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