WHAT KENYANS SHOULD EXPECT FROM KARUA IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS

THE STANDARD
NAIROBI, KENYA
April 8, 2009
By Njoki Karuoya

Martha Karua’s resignation as Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs is old news and now we need to assess her role as a backbencher following her dramatic exit from Cabinet.

Frankly, Karua’s announcement did not really surprise me considering that she has for a long time maintained the reputation of being a no-nonsense woman. This is someone who strongly believes in and fights for her personal convictions, regardless of whether they are right or wrong. She is not a populist politician and does not sing tunes just because her 221 colleagues have decided to do so. If she does not agree to a principle, then we are guaranteed of some drama when she comes out fighting against it.

Freed her hands

Look at how she took on her ODM colleagues at KICC when the now defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya was presenting the announcements of votes. All Kenyans, whether foe or friend, believe that she single-handedly handed the presidential victory to Mwai Kibaki. For him to forget how far they have come together in this fight and how much she has done for him is an heinous insult to her. She has finally done what is right and admirable — dumped the president and his goddamn clique.

Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned and the clique have every reason to be afraid. Now that Karua has freed her hands off the Cabinet shackles, this is what we, as Kenyans, expect her to do. We want her to tell us as precisely as possible what is wrong with the Government. We want her to tell us who exactly is placing barriers to reforms in all the Government ministries. In her former ministerial position, Karua must have been privy to all these details, which could have led to her increasing frustration with Government. Now we want her to come out swinging, even if it is through Parliament. As an advocate, perhaps she can begin instituting class action against all those executives who are committing injustices to Kenyans.

Let us pause for a moment and consider Karua as the chief executive officer (as she likes to call it) of this country. How would her reign, even of just five years, be?

Chief executive officer

Bearing in mind that she is not a populist politician and she does things based on her personal convictions, would she, as the president and a mother, have allowed the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation to get away with hoodwinking Kenyans about the viability of banned medicine for children? Would Karua be the kind of president to side with pharmaceutical companies just so they continue reaping huge profits from innocent Kenyans?

Yesterday, the world marked World Health Day where the overriding theme is "Saving Lives in Emergencies: Making Hospitals Safer". According to Dr. Alex Ezeh, the executive director of the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), many of the so-called health facilities in slum and low-income areas are one-room, substandard clinics, largely privately-owned, unlicensed, unregulated and staffed mainly by untrained personnel. Again I ask, would Karua, as president, have allowed this sickening situation to continue?

Is she the one?

Throughout her years as a public figure — right from her tenure as a magistrate to working as a private advocate, a women’s activist, a human rights champion, being voted a Member of Parliament and appointed to the Cabinet — Karua’s strength of character has been consistent.

She does not fear stepping on toes if she believes this is the right thing hence her nickname ‘Iron Lady’. As the country’s chief executive officer, I see her putting her foot down and cleaning Kenya and in the process, earning as many enemies as friends. The reason this country is quickly going down the drain is because there are too many vested interests in all things corrupt, and these individual interests are powerful and connected.

If this country is to be made corrupt-free, we need a leader with a indefatigable strength of character who is not afraid to cross these powerful individuals. So my question is: Is she the one?