Faith Nyasuguta
Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has named Martha Karua as his running mate, making the veteran politician the first woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket.
Raila made the announcement on Monday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Ms Karua, an ex-justice minister and presidential candidate, is from the central region which has one of the highest numbers of registered voters in the country.
The election will take place in August.
Who is Martha Karua?
Karua’s profile in the country has risen prominently since she vied for the presidency in 2013 and contested the Kirinyaga county governor seat in 2017.
She had announced her interest in making a second stab at the Kirinyaga governor seat under the Narc-Kenya party ticket before being named Raila’s second in command.
Karua once served as an MP for more than 20 years, between 1997 and 2013.
The ‘Iron Lady’ of Kenyan politics was born on September 22, 1957, in Kirinyaga and studied law at the University of Nairobi from 1977 to 1980. She later joined the Kenya School of Law in 1980-1981.
The mother of two first served as magistrate at Makadara, Nakuru and Kibera courts between 1981 and 1987 and later established Martha Karua & Co. Advocates law firm.
More to follow..
