African women trailblazing beyond their 50s
Chief Justice Martha Koome at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, on November 19, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Martha Koome became the first female Chief Justice and president of the Supreme Court in Kenya at the age of 61.
- Dr Jennifer Riria, group chief executive officer at Echo Network Africa, is a commanding leader in Africa’s financial sector.
Across Africa, women in their 50s and beyond have broken the glass ceiling to leave a trail of amazing successes. In this article, we look at some of the trailblazing female leaders.
Kenya: Martha Koome, Chief Justice, Kenya
Chief Justice Martha Koome at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, on November 19, 2021.
She became the first female Chief Justice and president of the Supreme Court at the age of 61. She is known for her work in promoting children’s rights. In 2020, she was named a runner-up for the UN's Kenya Person of the Year Award for advocating children’s rights through the justice system. Before she joined the Supreme Court, the CJ sat at the Court of Appeal.
Kenya: Dr Jennifer Riria, group chief executive officer (CEO), Echo Network Africa (ENA)
Dr Jennifer Riria, group chief executive officer (CEO), Echo Network Africa (ENA)
Dr Riria is a commanding leader in Africa’s financial sector. In 2020, Forbes Africa listed her as one of the 50 most powerful women in Africa, describing her as a leader who had challenged the status quo and created “a trail on terrain where there was none.” Dr Riria is a founding member of Kenya Women Finance Trust,a premier financial institution committed to offering credit to women. She is currently the group CEO of ENA, an institution that catalyses empowerment of women and girls.
Tanzania:Samia Suluhu Hassan,President
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu
In 2021, Ms Hassan became the first female President of Tanzania following the death of President John Magufuli. Her leadership has so far breathed life into teenage mothers. Last November, her administration announced it would allow teen mothers to resume learning two years after delivery, overturning an earlier order by Dr Magufuli that banned them from school.
Nigeria: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Director-General, World Trade Organisation Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The Harvard-trained economist did not just make history as the first African and first ever woman to become Director General of WTO, a powerful global trade entity.
She inspired ubuntuism among women in Africa with her symbolic head tie. As the WTO General Council sat on February 15, 2021, to select a new chief to replace Mr Roberto Azevêdo who had quit in the previous year, African women rallied behind her using the hashtag #AnkaraArmy, signifying a support base of women identifying with her brand - the head tie made from Ankara, an African fabric.
She previously held high positions such as managing director of the World Bank, overseeing operations in Africa, South Asia and Europe and Central Asia. She is also the founder of NOI Polls, an opinion research firm.
Botswana: Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director for Africa, World Health Organisation (WHO)
WHO African Region Director, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.
In 2015, Dr Moeti, became the first female to be elected as WHO Regional Director for Africa. In 2020, she was re-elected for a second term. “Over the past five years, Dr Moeti has led the transformation of WHO in Africa to ensure the Organisation is accountable, effective and driven by results,” a profile on WHO’s website reads.
Senegal: Fatma Samoura, Secretary General, FIFA
She is the first female Secretary General of FIFA, world football’s governing body. Before joining FIFA, Ms Samoura had built a humanitarian career with the United Nations for 21 years, serving in various capacities. She worked as a senior logistics officer with the World Food Programme and a country representative or deputy humanitarian coordinator in seven countries, including the Republic of Djibouti, Cameroon and Chad. The others were Guinea, Niger, Madagascar and Nigeria.
Cameroon: Rebecca Enonchong, founder, AppsTech
She is known for providing enterprise application solutions through her company, AppsTech. The Cameroonian technology entrepreneur is also a cofounder of I/O Spaces, an inclusive coworking space in the Washington DC metro area. Among her achievements is recognition by Forbes Africa as one of Africa's 50 most powerful women in 2020 and sitting at the WHO Foundation as the vice chair.
Benin: Angélique Kidjo
Beninoise singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo performs before the 2010 World Cup draw in Cape Town, December 4, 2009.
Ms Kidjo is not just a Beninese singer and songwriter. The four-time Grammy Award winner is also an activist. She uses her capacity as a Unicef and Oxfam goodwill ambassador to advocate recognition and protection of children’s rights. In 2019, she was named spokesperson for the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa at the G7 Summit. She has established Batonga, a charitable foundation that empowers adolescent girls and young women across the African continent.
