Karua Recalls Time She Went To Court, Four Days After Delivering Her Baby, Marriage ‘Turbulence’
The debate on work-life balance is a common challenge for many career women, and for Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, balancing her responsibilities while her children were young was a part of her professional journey.
Karua described motherhood as one of her most joyful experiences, recalling an incident early in her legal career when she had to appear in court just four days after giving birth to her second son to earn her client’s fees. She shared that she informed the court clerk and magistrate about her situation, emphasizing her need to return home quickly. Within five minutes, she was back with her baby, demonstrating her commitment to both her family and her profession, as recounted during an interview on the YouTube platform Cleaning The Airwaves.
Despite the challenges, Karua never found it difficult to balance motherhood with her legal practice, stating that she felt capable of handling both responsibilities.
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Karua also highlighted the common reality for many mothers, who often serve as the primary caregivers for their children. She noted that even within a household, mothers typically bear the majority of child-rearing responsibilities, with few fathers being actively involved in parenting. She observed that nowadays, more young men are engaging in tasks like changing diapers, reflecting a shift in parenting norms.
Karua discussed her marriage journey, describing it as having its challenges. She recounted meeting an army major doctor in Nairobi, leading to a relationship and a form of marriage known in Kikuyu culture as “come, we stay,” which involves living together before formally reporting the union to their families.
Karua changed her status through an affidavit, transitioning from Martha Karua to Martha Njoka. However, the marriage faced difficulties in the second year. In November 1985, after the birth of her daughter, the marriage experienced turbulence, and she decided to start her practice by 1987 to better support her family financially.
In the interview, Karua also reflected on her experiences during the 1982 coup and her work in activism, among other topics.
Karua Recalls Time She Went To Court, Four Days After Delivering Her Baby, Marriage ‘Turbulence’
