Kisumu residents have welcomed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's choice of Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua as his running mate.
While chanting "Karua Tosha", the residents took to a section of the streets to show their joy after Raila picked Karua as his running mate.
Rodgers Omondi, a resident of Kisumu, told K24 Digital that it's the first time a woman leader has been chosen as a running mate.
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"Martha Karua is the best choice for Azimio Alliance flag bearer as she is an iron lady who is equal to the task," he said.
He added that Karua's track record is clean with no scandals and also has consistently fought for the protection of women's rights.
According to Easter Achieng a Kisumu based activist, she said it is a historical moment seeing political parties implementing the two-third gender rule by ensuring that key decision-making spaces are occupied by women.
She noted that it is possible to push political parties under Azimio to also prioritise giving women positions.
"It is an exciting moment in Kenya to see reforms by people who started the reforms clarion call years ago coming together to start implementing it," she said.
On her side, Ruth Odinga congratulated Karua on her appointment as the first female deputy president of Kenya.
"Congratulations to the first Kenyan Female Deputy President of the Republic Of Kenya. Hon Martha Karua. The women of Kenya have surely won," she said.
Karua is a former long-standing member of parliament for Gichugu constituency and an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
She was the Minister for Justice before resigning in April 2009.
She joined Azimio la Umoja coalition in March 2022 after a series of consultative talks between her party and Odinga's camp.
