Odinga's choice of former justice minister Martha Karua in August's presidential election came as little surprise...

In response Ruto selected Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua who has acquired a reputation as a rabble rousing campaigner but faces corruption and money-laundering charges (Dispatches 16/5/22 Martha Karua and Rigathi Gachagua make the cut as running mates)...

Other potential Odinga running mates from Mount Kenya include National Rainbow Coalition Kenya leader Martha Karua – who has been endorsed by a section of Azimio women leaders – and former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth...

That's why Peter Kenneth and Martha Karua along with a host of county governors from around Mount Kenya have been proposed as running mates...

Perhaps the most notable is the Martha Karua-led Mount Kenya Unity Caucus...

Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru and Nakuru's Lee Kinyanjui were among the Central Province leaders who joined Odinga in Nakuru town last week; other Kikuyu leaders such as former Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua are insisting on regional negotiations with the leading presidential candidates...

This fear has been reinforced by the open repudiation of Ruto by prominent Kikuyu leaders in the Mount Kenya area who were defeated in the last election led by Martha Karua Peter Kenneth Kembi Gitura and Uhuru's close friend David Wakairu Murathe who has been forced out of Jubilee Party chairmanship for his pains (AC Vol 59 No 6 Raila beats rivals to a new deal)...

With these handouts and wads of campaign cash under the table Jubilee brought four more smaller parties under its wing at Bomas: the once ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) under Gideon Moi (son of ex-President Daniel arap Moi) the National Alliance Rainbow Coalition (under Martha Karua) Maendeleo Chap Chap (led by Machakos County's talented Governor Alfred Nganga Mutua) and the predominantly Mandera-Somali Economic Freedom Party...

These are Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM); Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka of the Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya (WDM-K); Moses Simiyu Wetangula of the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya (Ford-K); and Martha Wangari Karua of the National Alliance Rainbow Coalition (NARC)...

Second-tier candidates such as the United Democratic Front’s Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi Martha Karua from Narc-Kenya (formerly the National Rainbow Alliance) Peter Kenneth of the Kenya National Congress and James ole Kiyiapi of the Restore and Build Kenya party tried to make an impression but didn’t make the breakthrough they had hoped for...