Narc Kenya Party leader Martha Karua’s nomination as Raila Odinga’s running mate has been lauded as a historic moment for women leadership in the country.
Many have interpreted the move as the closest a woman has ever come to occupying either of the country’s top two seats.
However, little is known about Karua’s early life and her way to being recognized as Kenya’s iron lady. Karua, 64, is a lawyer and an alma mater of the University of Nairobi Law School.
She is known for her dedicated role in the fight for second liberation of Kenya during the struggle for multi-party during the late President Daniel Moi's iron-fist rule.
A highlight, however, is when Karua worked as an untrained teacher before joining the university. Karua on Wednesday, July 7, revealed how being a daughter to two teachers inspired her to consider teaching.
She explained how her father tried to convince her into being a teacher, arguing that it was the best career for her to pursue.
“I worked as an untrained teacher for four months after form four, and after A levels before joining university. If I had not become a lawyer, the next thing I would have been is a teacher. My father would have really wanted that,” stated Karua.
According to the seasoned lawyer, her father was concerned about the way lawyers travel frequently and as such young Karua would be isolated from her family. However, Karua convinced her father that she wanted to pursue law and that all professionals are at some point required to travel.
Karua then pursued a Law degree at the University of Nairobi, graduating in 1980. She was later enrolled at the Kenya school of law to meet the prerequisite for admission to the bar as an Advocate of the High Court.
Karua’s joined politics in the 1990s where she played a role in the agitation for the reintroduction of pluralism. She ventured into elective politics in 1992 when she successfully vied for Gichugu parliamentary seat on a Democratic Party of Kenya, DP, ticket.
Another highlight in Martha Karua’s career was in 1998 when she declined a cabinet minister appointment by then president Daniel Moi.
Karua’s next big step was the formation of the National Rainbow Coalition, NARC, in the run up to the historic 2002 general elections. Narc,an umbrella which brought together opposition parties against KANU, went on to win the polls under Mwai Kibaki with a resounding victory.
Her efforts were rewarded as she was appointed the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs by president Mwai Kibaki. She also served in the Ministry of Water Resources in the same government.
In the disputed 2007 elections, Karua was part of Kibaki’s team that played part in the arbitration process spearheaded by former African Union Secretary General Koffi Annan.
She, however, fell out with Kibaki and his government in 2008 which led to her unprecedented resignation from the cabinet. She cited frustrations from the government, accusing the president of appointing judges behind her back.
The lawyer unsuccessfully vied for presidency in 2013 where she came in sixth. She also unsuccessfully contested for Kirinyaga Gubernatorial seat where she lost to governor Anne Waiguru.
On 16th May, 2022, Azimio Presidential candidate Raila Odinga named Karua as his running mate in the August elections. She is on the way to becoming the first ever female deputy president should Azimio win the elections.
