Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua has renewed her presidential bid ahead of the 2017 general elections and told other aspirants eyeing the top seat not to rule her out of the race.
Speaking at Flamingo Hotel in Mombasa, Ms Karua said she will not be intimidated by her male opponents including President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cord leader Raila Odinga in the battle for the country’s top seat.
"I will not give up the battle for the presidency, even if I lose for the second time in 2017 elections," she said.
She added that losing is part of success in the electoral process that should be deemed as a consequence of democracy and should be accepted by all.
“That (defeat in the last election) was slippery for me and I will not stop there until I sit on that seat and not just to sit on it but bring the much wanted change in this country,” Ms Karua told a conference of women members of county assembly.
“When I was the Member of Parliament for Gichugu Constituency, I won several elections and in the process others suffered defeat. Failing is part of success and my dream is alive. Both success and failure in politics is part of the democratisation process,” she added.
She said her loss in the 2013 elections did not kill her political ambitions. Instead, it had made her bolder and more resilient and committed.
Ms Karua added that women have the potential of leading the nation and she will never be deterred by those doubting a woman presidency.
She asked fellow women leaders not to be discouraged by defeat and instead continue to hang on their dreams until they realise them.
“Women never say die. Take the same spirit to your job and you will surely succeed,” she added.
According to the Nation, Karua said Kenyan women had failed to capitalise on their numerical strength against men, which she said is key in addressing the problem of gender parity in elective positions.
“We are not asking men to be women or women to be men.