Musician Suzanna Owiyo has celebrated Martha Karua’s journey from her childhood years to national leadership after attending the former Cabinet minister’s 69th birthday celebration.
Karua marked her birthday on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, in a gathering that brought together family, friends and guests from different spheres.
Owiyo, who performed during the celebration, later shared her reflections on the evening, describing it as an opportunity to hear Karua speak about the experiences that shaped her life away from the public spotlight.
“An evening well spent celebrating the remarkable journey of Hon. Martha Karua. From her childhood and formative years to the woman, leader and trailblazer she has become, she took us through her journey with honesty, humour and grace,” Owiyo said.
The musician said she found it inspiring to hear Karua discuss the milestones and challenges that have defined her journey.
“It was inspiring to hear about the experiences that shaped her, the milestones, the challenges and the convictions that have defined her journey,” she added.
The celebration also gave Owiyo a personal memento from Karua.
The musician she received a personally signed copy of Karua’s book during the event, describing it as a keepsake that she looked forward to reading.
“I was especially delighted to receive a copy of her book, personally signed by her. A beautiful keepsake and a story I look forward to reading,” Owiyo said.
Owiyo later toasted Karua’s life of public service, closing her tribute by celebrating her purpose, courage and service.
The birthday gathering also offered a lighter side of Karua, with guests dancing and singing during the evening. Media personality Mwalimu Rachel, who attended the celebration, shared a video showing herself dancing with Karua.
“Confirmed: Martha Karua loves to dance and she’s so good at it!” Rachel wrote.
She also thanked Karua for inviting her to the birthday celebration and referenced the former minister’s collection of throwback photographs.
“Honoured to be invited to your birthday celebrations. The trip down memory lane with the TBT pictures was amazing! God bless you and let’s keep pushing for a better Kenya,” she added.
Hannah Githuki also confirmed her attendance and described an intimate interaction with Karua during the celebration. According to Githuki, Karua sat with guests and allowed them to ask questions about what she had learnt from 69 years of life, leadership and politics.
“She sat with us, listened to us and allowed us to ask her questions. What have 69 years taught you? What has leadership taught you? What has politics taught you? What has life taught you? And we listened,” Githuki wrote.
Githuki said the conversation centred on resilience, courage, giving oneself permission, finding harmony between work and life, loving one’s work and continuing to develop regardless of how far one has travelled.
The setting provided a more personal look at Karua after decades spent in the public eye.
Owiyo’s tribute came after Karua spent much of September revisiting earlier chapters of her life through throwback photographs and personal reflections.
Karua had described September as a reflective month because it is her birth month. Ahead of her birthday, she told her followers that she would take them through several decades of her life, beginning with her 20s.
In one of the photographs, Karua appeared as a young woman sitting with colleagues while drinking milk from the triangular packaging associated with an earlier period in Kenya.
She used the photograph to recall becoming a magistrate at 24, describing the responsibility as significant at that age.
By her late 20s, she had risen to Senior Resident Magistrate while raising a young family as a single mother with support from her sister and wider family. She also reflected on how she balanced motherhood, her career and life in a country operating under one-party rule.
“At 24, I became a magistrate, a responsibility and a title that felt significant at that age, even as I was still figuring out life beyond the courtroom,” Karua wrote.
Her reflections continued into her 30s, when she left the judiciary and established her law firm in 1987. She later entered elective politics and won the Gichugu parliamentary seat.
Karua also revisited her years in government, including her time as Minister for Water and later Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, as well as her experiences during the push for constitutional reform.
On her 69th birthday, Karua also reflected on how her role as a grandmother had changed her perspective on time and the future. She recalled that when she first ran for president, her granddaughter was still a baby. Years later, the child had grown into a teenager.
“And that is how quietly time moves. You look at the people you love and begin to wonder what kind of country you are leaving for them,” Karua said.
Karua also used the occasion to reflect on Kenya’s history, noting that she was six years old when the country attained independence in 1963.
“I was six when Kenya became independent, old enough to remember the excitement but young enough not to understand its enormity,” she said.
