In 2007, President Kibaki was staring at defeat by Raila Odinga. His feint-hearted lieutenants were packing their bags on 30th December.
The pressure was mounting on the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) and Samuel Kivuitu to declare Raila Odinga the winner. Not Martha.
She demanded Kivuitu waits until Tharaka NIthi, Juja, and Molo Votes were counted.
In the full glare of national media cameras, Karua called hurled expletives at James Orengo, and William Ruto. And even Raila himself.
She held Fort for the cowering Kibaki team…until Tharaka Nithi votes drowned Raila. And lit the bonfire for the dispute that was 2008 violence.
Martha Karua, the Kikuyu leader was sired on that night.
Beef with Uhuru
When Karua realized that Kibaki, driven by male adrenaline had overlooked her claim to Kikuyu leadership in favor of Uhuru Kenyatta, she walked out on him.
Her bear expectation was that she should be crowned the GEMA leader after Kibaki.
And so she refused to support Uhuru in 2013. Throwing her stellar political career into limbo.
She boarded her NARC bus and was headed into political oblivion. Until UhuRuto’s house implored into ashes.
Now the GEMA community is looking for a new home. They have an option in Rigathi Gachagua. But he is considered too close to the Kalenjin nation for comfort.
They toyed with Lee Kinyanjui. But reckoned he was too close to the Moi family for their liking.
In came Peter Kenneth. The Mzungu from Nairobi is too soft for the rough of Kenyan politics.
And so the Kikuyu war council remembered their modern-day Wangu Wa Makeri.
She has guts. And political balls few men can stand.
GEMA nation can trust Karua to match Raila, courtesy of her crude political antics and habits.
Gachagua is a rough political and business operator. Bit he is short on trust and political experience for a presidential election.
Other than the insults he has hacked on President Uhuru, Gachagua is a political novice, serving his first term in Parliament.
Karua served two terms as Gichugu MP and as Water and Justice Minister.
What else has Karua survived?
She survived an abusive marriage. She resisted KANU and Moi.
She survived the rot in the Judiciary and emerged unscathed.
Karua has not fought and won these battles alone. God walked ahead and behind her. She survived a plane crash that claimed the life of Ahmed Khalifa, then a Labour Minister. In 2003.
Gachagua was a District Officer and a ruthless operator during the Moi regime.
He has a few skeletons in his provincial administration cardboard.
He served as a DO in Burnt Forest during the infamous land clashes pitting the Kikuyu Community and the Kalenjin.
He is also said to have been the prime mover when his brother Nderitu Gachagua served as the Nyeri Governor.
Prior to the windfall from UDA, Gachagua was primed to become the Nyeri Governor.