Former Justice minister Martha Karua yesterday dismissed claims that she threw the constitution at Uhuru Kenyatta as he visited her to agree on a formula for selecting members of the electoral commission.Speaking to the Star on the phone yesterday, Karua said the allegations were a fabrication and “only meant to erode my public persona”.“I didn’t meet Uhuru. We could differ as Members [of Parliament], but to say I threw the constitution at somebody is a lie. I have no history of violent conduct against a fellow Member,” she said.
The former powerful minister said it was embarrassing for Leader of Majority Aden Duale to peddle lies. She said the Garissa Town MP should show respect for the office he occupies.Duale claimed that Karua picked up a copy of the constitution and threw it at Uhuru when the latter went to see her in her office.“To begin with, my office was never at Sheria House, as he purports, but at Cooperative Bank House. If you can recall, Uhuru was then in bed with Kibaki’s PNU and had no reason to come and see me,” she said.
The former Gichugu MP said the only person she met over the issue was Cord leader Raila Odinga but she flatly told him it was not possible because they were all under the same umbrella – Narc. She further said she was then instructed to hold talks with MPs who proposed names.“I did consult. And although I said no to Raila, I explained to him why,” Karua said.
The two, she said, met in a room in Parliament after Raila requested a meeting. Karua, who vied for the country’s top seat in 2013 but lost, said it is encouraging to see parties agree to hold talks over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
However, she faulted Jubilee for rejecting the talks earlier, on claims that the constitution does not allow for talks outside Parliament.
“If the Kanu regime was pressurised by the people and [President] Moi was gracious enough to agree, who is Jubilee to reject it?” she posed.
During the talks then, Moi allowed the formation of a 12-member committee — six MPs and six members from civil society — which was headed by Bishop Philip Sulumeti.
Karua was a joint secretary and the team drafted a raft of proposals, which were then taken to Parliament.
