Karua accuses rivals of being tribal opportunists

By OSINDE OBARE

Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua took her presidential campaigns to West Pokot County where she criticised some of her opponents for thriving on tribal politics to ascend to power.

Karua said some leaders had declared themselves tribal kings and were promoting ethnicity to lock out their rivals from some regions.

The former Cabinet minister said such leaders were living in the past and should be rejected because Kenya has a new face following the enactment of a new Constitution.

Serious problems

"Tribalism has put the country in serious problems but some leaders still thrive on it to retain power. This is wrong and we should get rid of such ancient leaders," she said.

Karua noted that the presidency requires a person with national outlook and not tribal opportunists using numbers of their communities to ascend to power.

"Let us ignore these tribal opportunists. Some of my competitors are banking their support on their tribes yet the country needs a patriotic and non-tribal leader," she said during a rally at Kacheliba Stadium in West Pokot County.

"I don’t belong to any tribal groupings. You are aware some people tried to urge me to support a certain leader in Central region and I declined... this shows I don’t play tribal politics," she said.

The Gichugu MP said she is determined to fight corruption, poverty and illiteracy.

She criticised past governments for sidelining the Pokot.

"The community is suffering because of being marginalised by the past governments and I promise to ensure equitable distribution of national resources," she pledged.