Martha Karua's emergence as Raila Odinga's running mate in the Azimio Alliance has sparked a dramatic turnaround in support for Odinga's presidential bid in Central Kenya.
Since her official announcement as the Deputy Presidential nominee on the steps of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Karua has been traversing the region, leaving a trail of enthusiasm and admiration in her wake.
Mount Kenya, a region with the country's largest registered number of voters, had been a stronghold of President Uhuru Kenyatta's Deputy William Ruto. However, Karua's influence has had an explosive effect on the electorate in the region, with many voters turning away from Ruto's camp and towards the Azimio Alliance.
According to emerging details, young voters have been particularly drawn to Karua, with many embracing the Raila/Karua ticket as they head into the elections. 'There has been a tremendous change in how people from Mount Kenya view the Raila/Karua ticket of late,' said a former senior leader of the GEMA association, who wished to remain anonymous.
He added: 'Comparatively Gachagua's choice as DP Ruto's running mate fell way below expectations among voters in the region because Mr Gachagua is a political novice in the Kenya region, whereas Karua's influence effectively cuts across the entire region.'
As the leader of NARC-Kenya, a party that played a central role in the Moi succession politics and the return of multi-party politics, Karua's influence extends far beyond the Mount Kenya region. Her involvement in the second liberation and her leadership of NARC-Kenya have earned her a reputation as a champion of democracy and human rights.
By contrast, Gachagua's background as a District Officer under a regime that gave him financial clout from questionable sources has raised eyebrows among voters in the region.
