Nairobi, Kenya — People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has formally announced her bid for the presidency in the 2027 General Election, with a bold pledge to serve only a single term if elected.

Speaking at her party’s National Delegates Conference in Nairobi on Friday, Karua stressed that her campaign is about service, not ambition.

“Today, before you, I declare my candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic of Kenya in the next General Election under the banner of the People’s Liberation Party and within a united opposition,” she said. “We make this declaration not out of mere ambition for office, but out of devotion to service.”

Karua explained that her vision is to lay a strong foundation for Kenya’s future within five years, rather than promising to solve every challenge.

“I believe that in five years it is possible to lay a foundation. Nobody will ever finish the job of making Kenya prosperous. You lay a foundation and you wait for the next team to further it. So, I want to open by saying: I’ll be seeking one term,” she told delegates.

She described her one-term pledge as part of a push to “demystify power” in Kenya and across Africa, where she argued leaders often cling to office.

“So that others don’t think ‘one term’ is an insult, I stand before you to tell you that we must demystify power in Kenya, in East Africa and in Africa. People get to power and they refuse to leave. Martha Karua, yours truly, is seeking a single term, one term,” she said to applause.

Karua also revealed that the opposition will soon launch the “One People, One Purpose, One Term” movement. She said the campaign will focus on uniting Kenyans around justice, accountability, and integrity.

“Kenyans are hurting, and Kenyans deserve better. But let me say this clearly, we shall not walk this road alone,” she affirmed, calling on citizens and fellow opposition leaders to rally behind her.

Her declaration sets the stage for a bruising political contest within the opposition, where Deputy Chief Prime Minister Rigathi Gachagua has also signalled his intention to run.

With the clock ticking towards 2027, the race for State House has now taken a sharp turn, with Karua positioning herself as a reform candidate offering both urgency and restraint.