Nairobi Metropolitan Development Minister Njeru Githae (left) and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua. Photos/FILE
By GEORGE MUNENE gamunene@yahoo.com
Posted Sunday, May 1 2011 at 22:42
Posted Sunday, May 1 2011 at 22:42
A war of words between Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua and Nairobi Metropolitan Development Minister Njeru Githae over next year’s presidential race continued on Sunday in Kirinyaga County.
The two leaders clashed during a church function attended by leaders and hundreds of worshippers.
This time the battlefield was Ms Karua’s political stronghold of Gichugu, which she has represented in Parliament since 1992.
It all started when Ms Karua told the congregation that she would not retreat in her decision to vie for the top seat.
She said she would not stand down for Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta or unite with PNU alliance for joint nominations.
Mr Githae, who received a hero’s welcome, caused laughter when he said those who refused to merge with other parties only wanted their names to appear on ballot papers and not to win the top seat.
She insisted that Narc Kenya was capable of winning the presidency without joining PNU. She termed calls for unity among central Kenya leaders as “oppression”.
Ms Karua said the unity calls were meant to lock her out in favour of Mr Kenyatta. “I shall not accept unity that is oppressive to me,” she said.
In response, Mr Githae, who was the guest of honour and is seen as Mr Kenyatta’s pointman in the area, told Ms Karua that no single politician could go it alone and make it to State House.
“Whoever thinks that she could win the presidency without working with other political parties is not being truthful to the entire nation,” he said amid loud applause.
And for the first time, Ms Karua was humiliated in her constituency as worshippers murmured in disapproval when she declared that she would vie for the presidency in next year’s General Election.
She was also booed when she insisted that she would not donate any money in aid of Ngariama Anglican Church.
The MP told the congregation at Ngariama Secondary School, the venue of the funds drive, that she had come for prayers and not to donate money. She walked away without donating a cent.
Ms Karua, who recently launched her presidential bid, claimed those who heckled her had been paid by her political rivals.
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