Kenya Decides 2022

Momentum is mounting as Kenyans are set to decide who takes over from President Uhuru Kenyatta. Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is again running for president this time against William Ruto (Kenya’s deputy president) of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Raila Odinga

Africa News reports that on 16th May 2022, Mr. Odinga revealed Martha Karua of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), a one-time rival, to be his running mate. In an address at the rally he said, ‘My dear Kenyans, cometh the hour, cometh the lady. I have the great honor to announce that I have picked as my running mate, and cabinet secretary for justice and constitutional affairs, the honorable Martha Wangari Karua.’ If the pair win the polls, Karua would become Kenya’s first female deputy president. The announcement came a day after, Deputy President William Ruto, picked Rigathi Gachagua, a former aide turned critic of President Uhuru Kenyatta to be his running mate.

Historic Moment?

In her acceptance speech, Ms Karua assured Kenyans of her readiness and capacity to be the country’s second-in-command. Ms. Martha termed the appointment as a ‘historic moment for women in Kenya’ as SignsTV reports. ‘This is a moment for the women of Kenya, it is the moment that my late grandmother, one of the most instrumental women in my life would have been proud of, but she would not have been surprised because generations of women have fought for space in the decision-making table,’ the former justice minister commented.

Ms. Karua assured Kenyans of her commitment to effectively discharge her duties if sworn into office. ‘Baba has allocated me duties in advance, and I want to confirm that I am ready, able, and willing for those duties. I will not let you down. I will be steadfast, diligent in pursuit of our shared dreams and pursuits,’ she added.

Who is Martha Karua?

Martha Karua

Martha Wangari Karua is a Kenyan politician and an advocate of social justice. She is a former long-standing member of parliament for Gichugu Constituency and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.

She was Minister for Justice until resigning from that position in April 2009. Ms. Martha has consistently fought for what she sees as improvements to the democratic process and the protection of women’s rights. Such ‘rights’ include, for her, the legalisation of abortion and sodomy and the whole LGBT (lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) and SRHR (Sexual and Rep;roductive Health and Rights) agendas.

Martha Karua ran for the presidency in 2013 under the Nation Rainbow Coalition (NARC)-Kenya ticket. The race made her the third woman to run for the highest office, after Charity Ngilu and Wangari Maathai in the 1997 elections. She emerged sixth in the race.

Why Martha Karua?

Raila Odinga and Martha Karua

The question of why Raila Odinga chose pro-abortion and pro-sodomy Martha Karua as his presidential running mate remains unanswered. Why would the one they call ‘Baba’ choose someone whose campaigns would lead to fewer men becoming baba and women becoming mama?

Meanwhile, Mr. Odinga described Ms. Karua as Africa News reports as a ‘fighter, not a quitter.’ He further recalled moments when Martha Karua supported him during the country’s campaign for constitutional change, leaving out their disagreements:

‘The woman we offer as proposed Deputy President (DP) is known to have incredible credentials in the fight for our second liberation. In 1990, for instance, I was arrested and placed in detention without trial. At that time very few lawyers were prepared to defend me. But this woman, then a young lawyer, led a team of twenty-seven lawyers to defend my legal detention,’ said Mr Odinga.

On the 2nd November 2009, VOA news reported that Justice Minister Martha Karua accused William Ruto and Raila Odinga of impropriety in the allocation of grain supplies. It is unexpected to picture the pair as running mates considering them as political rivals.

A look at William Ruto

William Ruto

Mr Odinga’s opponent William Ruto is a Kenyan politician currently serving as Deputy President of Kenya. A ‘chicken seller’ as the the BBC describes him and the champion of the poor considering his childhood. According to KTN news, his upbringing and passion for agriculture connect him to people at the grassroots level.

William Ruto also sold chicken and ground nuts by the roadside in rural areas of the Rift Valley. He has coined the phrase ‘Hustler nation’ to refer to the young people struggling to make ends meet. He was not one of the elite.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) endorsed Mr. Ruto as Kenya’s presidential candidate on 15th March 2022.

William Ruto’s Position on Sodomy

William Ruto has been clear on his stance on same-sex relationships and their legality. According to NBC news, on 4th May 2015, he said there is ‘no room’ for homosexuality in Kenyan society. ‘The Republic of Kenya is a republic that worships God. We have no room for gays.’

Speaking to Reuters, Mr Ruto’s spokesman Emmanuel Talam confirmed the deputy president’s remarks, adding: ‘the government believes that homosexual relations are unnatural and un-African.’

Furthermore, in an interview moderated by Mvemba Phezo Dizoleleat the Centre for Strategic International Studies, William Ruto maintained that his Christian background teaches against homosexuality. He maintained that if elected president, the constitution, and the law will be the guiding principle.

Rigathi Gachagua

According to Standard Media, he said: ‘My position as a Christian is that Bible teaches us against homosexuality and related matters, which is me as William Ruto. As a public leader and a servant, the constitution and the law in Kenya becomes the guiding principle. Whatever is within the constitution and the law I will respect.’

Rigathi Gachagua

William Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua is a Kenyan politician and the current member of parliament for Mathira Constituency.

In his acceptance speech HERE on YouTube, he said ‘I am honoured by the responsibility and faith you (William Ruto) have bestowed upon me to be your running mate for the most defining election in Kenya’s history. The confidence you have shown me is a rare privilege. I will not let you down. I will not let the people of Kenya down.’

There has been no definite report of Mr. Rigathi’s view on abortion or LGBT rights. He is however clear on his stand with God. On his Twitter page Rigathi Gachagua tweeted @DPRigathi,’ Christ in me, is the hope of glory.’

The Big Clause

On 29th November, the BBC reported Mr. Odinga as saying that men or women found engaging in homosexual acts would be arrested. In his words, ’We will not tolerate such behaviours in the country. The constitution is very clear on this issue and men, or women found engaging in homosexuality will not be spared.’

This remark spurred a response from civil society groups funded by Western foundations and governments demanding that the then-prime minister ensure the ‘human rights of all Kenyans’ be respected. (Legal sodomy is an invented human right.) Following these Western-funded activist’s criticism, the then prime minister’s office issued a statement claiming he had been misunderstood.

Mr. Odinga now maintained that he was not advocating for the arrest of LGBT persons, but that the new Kenyan Constitution did not legalise same-sex marriage.

Martha Karua’s stance on LGBT issues are evident in her reaction to the banned Kenyan lesbian romance film ‘Rafiki‘ She wrote on Twitter: ‘Thanks for sharing, Prof. Enjoyed watching this well-acted production by Wanuri.’

Abortion confusion

On abortion laws, Raila Odinga and Martha Karua might or might not be on on the same page. The ODM leader on 6th March 2010 supported the new constitution. The Nation reported that he asked church leaders to ‘climb down’ from their ‘hardline positions’ on the abortion debate. ‘Every person loves children but in case the life of the mother is in danger, doctors should be allowed to save the life of any of the two. We should respect doctors’ views.’ Mr. Odinga said.

However, to carry out an abortion where the mother’s life is genuinely at risk, in an ectopic pregnancy for example, is a sound pro-life stance. There is nothing to ‘climb down’ from to support that. Rather were the churches concerned that the Constitution did not explicitly rule out abortion on demand in the future. Why did Raila Odinga misrepresent them? His stance needs urgent clarification.

Kenya’s Kamala Harris

On the contrary, his running mate, Ms. Karua, is actively campaigning for the legalisation of abortion in Kenya whether a mother’s life is at stake or not.  She is giving a good impression of aspiring to be Kenya’s Kamala Harris.

While we are on that subject, an exchange of tweets in which Martha Karua appears to thank Kamala Harris for appearing to congratulate her is a fake.  There was no such congratulation tweet and no such reply, as Piga Firimbi reveals here.

By the same token, video circulating appearing to show William Ruto calling for Rift Valley communities to be forced off their land is also fake, in that it was taken out of its context.  The footage dates from the debates on the constitution in 2010 and Mr Ruto is warning that the constitution could allow that to happen.  He opposed both the constitution and such evictions, as AfricaCheck reports here.

Supporters of both sides are smearing the other, bearing false witness.  We do not do smears or false witness in Kenya Christian Voice, only facts which you can rely on.

Peaceful Elections

The peaceful elections Kenyans have witnessed over the years since 2007 is worth celebrating. The hostilities that followed that election sadly saw tribal violence.  Death and displacement followed and to our shame 380,000 internally displaced persons are estimated still remaining in IDP camps.

Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto stood on a joint ticket in 2012 and again in 2017 and defused any potential reprise of the unrest. That desire for peace is to their eternal credit. We pray for free, fair, credible and harmonious elections this time around. And may there be no unrest stirred up by a candidate who lost. We call for prayer and fasting to this end.

Cry out to God for mercy

But what does Almighty God say of the rival tickets? If Raila Odinga and Martha Karua win, should Kenyans expect disputes between them on the legalisation of sodomy and abortion? Raila’s stance on the legalisation of sodomy depends on who he is talking to. Would Martha’s election as Kenya’s vice president be a true victory for women or would it act against true women’s virtues as she advocates from her office for legalisation of homosexual acts and unrestricted abortion?

Apostle Zakaria Odongo, Chairman of Kenya Christian Voice

The Chairman of Kenya Christian Voice, Apostle Zakaria Odongo, said: ‘A man and a woman who are both on record for supporting abortion and homosexuality and are heavily supported by the Atheist movement are no more than a catastrophe waiting to happen. They simply do not value life and natural processes that surround life. Voting for a duo like this is voting for death. Death spiritually, death morally, death physically, death financially and death all round. The Bible says: ‘Choose Life that you may Live’ (Deut 30:19).

Judgment

‘I am seeing such a President out of God’s Judgment. It could bring the church to her knees to birth revival. We must pray instead for God to have mercy and deliver a vote for God-fearing Christian men ‘after his own heart’.’

Deut 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Hosea 8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

Also Read: Lev 18:22; Deut 30:19; Ps 2:10-11; Jer 29; 1Thess 5: 16-17; 11; Phill 4: 19; James 5: 1-5; 1 Tim 2: 1-4.

PRAYER POINTS

Pray for godly leaders.

Also pray against laws and people who promote sodomy, abortion and other forms of ungodliness in Kenya through this election.

Please pray for Kenya Christian Voice, raising our voices against sodomy, abortion and CSE.

Finally, pray for good governance and economic growth in Kenya.

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