Against the Tide: Karua's journey of becoming 'Iron lady'

NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua. [Screengrab, Spice FM]

NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua has narrated events captured in her memoir, Against the Tide, detailing her journey from childhood into the political arena.

Giving a sneak preview of the book titled Against the Tide which explains her journey on a less-trodden path, Karua narrated how her life has been.

“My close family had been supportive and patient, my dad and teachers exhibited patience with me,”  she explained during an interview on Spice FM.

Growing up, she was a curious child which she portrays as a character that amounted to trouble.

Nevertheless, Karua expressed her gratitude for having joined the Nairobi Girls' School where learners were allowed to express their opinions openly.

She also explained how her dad motivated her to join the legal practice.

“When I was in primary school, I accompanied my dad to court on a traffic matter, we had gone to Kerugoya then we passed by the court. I liked the attention the magistrate was getting and upcountry they were being called Judge, “ she narrated.

Right from Law School, she had the opportunity to become a magistrate for six years.

She then opted for private legal practice when she had an expansive family and the emoluments were not sufficient.

Marua says that back then civil servants had poor pay as compared to the current times.

“When I entered the judiciary as a magistrate I was earning Sh3,000. When I got a family, the salary was not good enough”

Getting to the political limelight, she began as an activist within the Law Society of Kenya where she was among the members holding the government into account.

“I realized that just as I had in the law society activism, it's not enough to complain about what is not being done it's also important to enter there and do what you think should be done, I was seeking to be a part of the solution,” she explained.

Karua attributes her political debut in 1992 to legal practice where she became the Member of Parliament for Gichugu for 4 terms.

However, she regrets going for the presidential race in 2012.

“The people of Gichugu elected me, I believe if I had gone for the parliamentary seat instead of the presidency in 2012 or any local seat, I would still be elected. I had bitten more than I could chew,” she says.

The Narc Kenya leader known for her firm principles and implementation of the rule of law and fighting corruption accorded her the name “iron lady”.

Karua further narrated how the Kibaki administration was open and easy to work in.

She was branded as one of the hardliners when they were trying to implement the constitutional review.

“The issue of refusing to anchor agreement in the Constitution, he (Kibaki) wanted to accommodate Raila and his group in the government but he wanted to be able to appoint and fire just like before but Raila and his group having been fired in 2005 wanted it in the constitution," she stated.