Martha Karua joins Azimio la Umoja, backs Raila for President

NARC-Kenya Party leader Martha Karua has officially joined Azimio la Umoja coalition led by ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Karua and Odinga came together following a series of consultative talks held between her party and Odinga’s camp which culminated in the pair making an announcement on Wednesday at the Nairobi Serena Hotel.

Following the discussions, Narc Kenya will not field a presidential candidate at the polls but will instead support Raila’s bid to get into State House.

“I am here to confirm that from now onwards Narc Kenya and I are supporting the Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga and this is without any equivocation. I have said time and again, and NARC-Kenya believes in this, that as we move forward we must look for leaders who have a demonstrated track record of being selfless and putting the interest of the nation above theirs,” she said.

While ceding that both the Azimio and Kenya Kwanza coalitions have a number of rogue elements in their midst who have allegedly prioritized their own selfish interests before that of Kenyan citizens, Karua admitted that she was drawn to Odinga’s camp because a majority of his allies sincerely want what is best for Kenya.

“I have been looking keenly and I have been able to identify a critical mass of good people within the Azimio coalition and that is all that is needed to fight for the second liberation in this country,” she said.

Karua likewise stated that Raila’s 10 point agenda, which she says will change the lives of Kenyans for the better, also drew her into the Azimio coalition. The Kirinyaga governor aspirant also added that she will now move o drum up support for Odinga’s presidential bid ahead of the polls.

“I am committed and so is NARC Kenya to popularize the Azimio presidential flag bearer and his point agenda which as my sec-gen has sid is part of the social justice ideals that we stand for,” she said.

By joining the Azimio camp, NARC Kenya has effectively severed ties with the One Kenya Alliance,

“The NARC Kenya party is grateful for this journey with our brothers and sisters in OKA but that journey has just come to an end,” Narc Kenya’s secretary-general said on his part.

While labelling their coming together as pleasant, Odinga underscored that he and Karua joined forces

“We have agreed that the time has come again for us to come together. The march of the Nile is unstoppable and so is the movement of the people of Kenya to liberate this country,” said Odinga.