Karua seeks to secure 60pc votes in presidential polls

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Published Sunday, May 20 2012 at 00:00

By STEVE MKAWALE
Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua (left) in Nakuru [Photo: Boniface Thuku/Standard]

Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua has exuded confidence she will win the presidential election in the first round.

Ms Karua said she has been working on a strategy that will see her succeed President Kibaki.

Without elaborating on the strategy, Karua told party youth leaders who converged in Nairobi for a two-day training that she was confident of a first round win.

“Mimi niko na matumaini ya kushinda mkondo was kwanza (I am confident I will win in the first round of the presidential polls),” she said on Saturday.

She dismissed claims she was being wooed to be a running mate of Prime Minister Raila Odinga and said her name will be on the ballot paper. The Gichugu MP said her strategy would see her garner 60 per cent of votes in the first round of the presidential elections.

“I am not aiming at 50 per cent plus one vote. I’m aiming at 60 per cent of the votes to avoid a runoff,” said Karua. Narc-Kenya has once again been the first party to submit its nomination rules to the Registrar of Political Parties.

Pre-election pact
Karua promised that the party’s nomination rules would be free and fair, and adhere to the provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution.

She ruled out entering into a pre-election pact with other political parties, but said such an arrangement would only be important after the elections.

On implementation of the Constitution, Karua faulted the Executive for failing to initiate civic education to enable Kenyans understand provisions in the new laws.

She claimed secession demands by the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) was as a result of lack of civic education on the Constitution.

“If the Government had taken the initiative to educate those advocating for secession that their interests have been taken care of in the new Constitution then there would be no problems with MRC,” she said.