Martha Karua's Biography in Summary

In brief, Hon. Martha Karua is a social justice advocate and politics and governance expert with a career of over 30 years rooted in law and spanning across social activism, judicial,
constitutional and political arenas. She is an accomplished lawyer and politician who played an important role in the founding and development of Kenya’s pluralistic politics in a bid to expand democratic space in Kenya in the 1980-1990s.
The role of women in Kenyan politics has greatly benefitted Martha Karua’s efforts and exemplary career. As a founder of organizations such as the League of Kenyan Women Voters or leading women’s advocacy through FIDA, Martha actively
lobbied for increased women representation in political positions.
Her prestigious career in public service stems from her 20 years as Member of Parliament for Gichugu constituency, Minister of Water and Public works and Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Beside her impeccable track record, Martha Holds an LLB from the University of Nairobi and Masters degree in Business Administration from USIU-Africa. She is a mother of two and grandmother of three.

Education: She attended several schools in her education journey. She started off at Mugumo Primary School, moved to Kabare Girls Boarding School and then St Michael’s boarding school in Kerugoya. For her O-levels, she first joined Kiburia Girls Secondary School, then Ngiriambu Girl’s Secondary School and Karoti Girl’s Secondary Schools where she sat her East African School Certificate. She then moved to Nairobi Girls' Secondary School for her A-levels. She graduated with a law degree from the University of Nairobi in 1980, followed by post graduate diploma in legal practice in 1981.

Legal career: She served as a magistrate in various courts in the 1980s until 1987 when she ventured into private practice until 2002. Ms Karua played a key role in the expansion of Kenya's democratic space and gender issues during the clamour for multi-partism in the early 1990s. She was among anti-establishment lawyers dubbed 'Young Turks' who stood up against the regime of late former President Daniel Moi and successfully pushed for the re-introduction of multi-party democracy.

As a lawyer, she represented human rights and political activists who fell foul of the Moi regime. Some of the sensitive cases she took up include the treason trial against Mr Koigi wa Wamwere and the late Mirugi Kariuki in the 1990s.

Political career: She was first elected as MP for Gichugu in 1992 and served until 2013 when she unsuccessfully contested the Presidency and finished in sixth position with 43,881 votes. Ms Karua has served as minister in the ministries of Water and Justice until her abrupt resignation after she fell out with late former President Mwai Kibaki in 2008. She was once known as the 'Iron Lady' of Kibaki’s second regime because of her reputation for being tough and her role in defending his government.

In the 2017 general election, she contested the Kirinyaga governor’s seat but lost to Anne Waiguru. She petitioned the High Court to nullify the outcome citing irregularities but lost again in the High court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. She took the matter to the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, where she sued the government of Kenya for denying her the right to a fair trial. In her presentation in Arusha, she produced video evidence she had filed at the High Court of Kenya but was lost or stolen while in the court’s custody, but still went ahead to determine the election petition without investigating the issue.

The court found the Kenyan government culpable and awarded her Sh2.7 million in damages for infringement of her right to a fair trial.

Martha Karua

DATE OF BIRTH

September 22, 1957

GENDER

Female

OCCUPATION

Politician, Lawyer

FAMILY

Has two children

BIOGRAPHY

Education: She attended several schools in her education journey. She started off at Mugumo Primary School, moved to Kabare Girls Boarding School and then St Michael’s boarding school in Kerugoya. For her O-levels, she first joined Kiburia Girls Secondary School, then Ngiriambu Girl’s Secondary School and Karoti Girl’s Secondary Schools where she sat her East African School Certificate. She then moved to Nairobi Girls' Secondary School for her A-levels. She graduated with a law degree from the University of Nairobi in 1980, followed by post graduate diploma in legal practice in 1981.

Legal career: She served as a magistrate in various courts in the 1980s until 1987 when she ventured into private practice until 2002. Ms Karua played a key role in the expansion of Kenya's democratic space and gender issues during the clamour for multi-partism in the early 1990s. She was among anti-establishment lawyers dubbed 'Young Turks' who stood up against the regime of late former President Daniel Moi and successfully pushed for the re-introduction of multi-party democracy.

As a lawyer, she represented human rights and political activists who fell foul of the Moi regime. Some of the sensitive cases she took up include the treason trial against Mr Koigi wa Wamwere and the late Mirugi Kariuki in the 1990s.

Political career: She was first elected as MP for Gichugu in 1992 and served until 2013 when she unsuccessfully contested the Presidency and finished in sixth position with 43,881 votes. Ms Karua has served as minister in the ministries of Water and Justice until her abrupt resignation after she fell out with late former President Mwai Kibaki in 2008. She was once known as the 'Iron Lady' of Kibaki’s second regime because of her reputation for being tough and her role in defending his government.

In the 2017 general election, she contested the Kirinyaga governor’s seat but lost to Anne Waiguru. She petitioned the High Court to nullify the outcome citing irregularities but lost again in the High court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. She took the matter to the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, where she sued the government of Kenya for denying her the right to a fair trial. In her presentation in Arusha, she produced video evidence she had filed at the High Court of Kenya but was lost or stolen while in the court’s custody, but still went ahead to determine the election petition without investigating the issue.

The court found the Kenyan government culpable and awarded her Sh2.7 million in damages for infringement of her right to a fair trial.

In the general elections of 2022, she ran for elections as deputy presidential candidate to Raila Odinga and became runners up to the current president of Kenya William Ruto.