Today ODM leader Raila Odinga settled on the former Justice Minister Martha Karua as his presidential running mate ahead of the August polls.
On the other hand, Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday, May 15 picked Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua as his running mate.
With both leading presidential candidates having named their deputies, Kivumbi.co.ke looks at the 2public profile of Martha Karua and Rigathi Gacagua.
Born in 1957, Martha Karua was first employed as a magistrate in 1981 and served in Nakuru, Makadara, and Kibera courts until 1987.
In 1987 the Narc-Kenya leader started the Martha Karua & Co Advocates where she operated until 2002.
In 1992 Martha Karua was elected the Member of Parliament for the Gicugu constituency in Kirinyaga County where she served until 1997.
Karua would be reelected again as the MP for Gicugu for the other two terms, 2002-2007, and 2008-2013.
From 2003 to 2005, the Narc-Kenya was appointed the Minister of Water and Irrigation by the late President Mwai Kibaki.
Martha Karua who is popularly known as the Iron lady would later be appointed Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in 2005, where she served until she resigned in 2009.
During the 2013 General Election, Karua contested for the presidency but lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In the 2017 elections, Karua contested for the Kirinyaga gubernatorial seat but lost to Ann Waiguru who was vying on the Jubilee ticket.
On the hand, DP Ruto’s running mate, Rigathi Gachagua was born in 1965 and his career began in the office of the President where he worked as a District Cadet officer from 1990.
In 1991, the outspoken legislature was promoted to serve as the Personal Assistant to the Head of Public Service.
Gachagua would later be appointed a District Officer In-charge of Ng’arua Division, Laikipia District from 1997 to 1999.
Gachagua was elected the Member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency in 2017 in his first attempt at elective politics.
From 2002 to 2006, the Mathira MP served as the personal assistant to President Uhuru Kenyatta who was by then the Minister of Local Government.
