The magnificent ten: From medicine to military; women's groundbreaking achievements in 2024

As 2024 comes to an end, a year marked by groundbreaking achievements, Kenyan women have continued to shatter barriers and redefine possibilities across diverse fields.

From boardrooms to stadiums, courtrooms to global platforms, and medicine to politics, these trailblazers have not only made history but also inspired a generation of young women to dream bigger and aim higher.

Here are the profiles of 10 women who have broken records and made historic firsts in various fields. These trailblazers have not only excelled in their respective domains but also paved the way for future generations.

Dr Jacqueline Kitulu

Jacqueline is the first Kenyan elected president of the World Medical Association. Her journey from a dedicated family physician in Nairobi to becoming the first Kenyan and second African woman elected as president of the World Medical Association is a testament to her unwavering commitment to healthcare.

Her election in October to lead the association, which represents physicians across 115 countries, underscores her influence in global medical circles. She will be president for the 2025–26 term.

Jacqueline's leadership is expected to foster interregional collaboration, mentorship, and the strengthening of primary healthcare systems worldwide. Throughout her career, she has held numerous prestigious positions, each contributing to her comprehensive understanding of healthcare systems. She served as a panel physician at the United States Embassy in Kenya and as the national chairperson of the Kenya Medical Women's Association from 2008 to 2012.

Jacqueline's dedication to humanitarian causes led to a 12-year tenure with the Kenya Red Cross, where she served in various capacities, including Deputy Governor and Finance Committee member. Her expertise in healthcare finance and management saw her serve on the board of the National Hospital Insurance Fund as the Finance Committee chair from 2018 to 2021.

She has also contributed her leadership skills as director at Emergency Plus Medical Services, vice chair of the Kenya Consumer Protection Advisory Committee, and health advisory panellist at Safaricom PLC. From January 2020 to January 2023, she served as the committee chair of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council. In 2016, she achieved another milestone by becoming the first female president of the Kenya Medical Association.

Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley

Huldah is the first Kenyan-born individual to be elected as a state representative in the US. On November 6, at 39, she won a state assembly seat—a historic achievement for a woman raised with deep Kenyan roots now thriving in Minnesota politics.

One of her first major leadership roles was serving as president of Mwanyagetinge, the largest organisation of Kenyans in Minnesota. She emphasises the importance of diversity and inclusion in political representation, having recognised a lack of elected leaders from minority backgrounds during her advocacy efforts.

In 2022, she aimed to be the first ever black woman senator in the parliament of Minnesota after she ran to represent District 38 (equivalent of a constituency) in the Minnesota State Senate on a Democratic Party ticket but lost.

Rather than dissuading her, that loss taught her lessons she carried into this successful campaign. Her election win signifies a remarkable achievement for the Kenyan diaspora and highlights the growing influence of African immigrants in American politics.

Huldah's success story serves as an inspiration, demonstrating that perseverance and dedication can lead to significant political milestones, even far from one's homeland.

Lilian Seenoi-Bar

Lilian is the first black mayor of Northern Ireland. In June, she made history by winning the seat. Lilian, who hails from Narok County in Kenya, was voted in to represent the Foyleside area of Derry and Strabane District County.

The politician has dedicated her life to championing social justice and human rights. With a background in social work, community development and social policy, she has been instrumental in fostering integration and understanding among diverse communities in Northern Ireland.

The 42-year-old is no stranger to breaking barriers; last year, she made headlines for the remarkable accomplishment of becoming the first black woman to become an elected member of the public office in Northern Ireland as a councillor.

She established the Northwest Migrants Forum, an organisation that supports migrants who travel to make a life in Northern Ireland. She plans to create jobs and advocate quality affordable housing.

Dorcas Oduor

Dorcas became the first female Attorney General. In August 2024, she was sworn in as Kenya's first female Attorney General, marking a significant milestone in the country's legal history.

With over 30 years of legal experience, including roles as Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and involvement in various commissions, her appointment reflects her extensive expertise and dedication to justice.

One of her notable achievements includes handling the fraud case against Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and the murder case against police officer Edward Kirui over the 2007–08 post-election violence in Kisumu.

Dorcas holds the title of senior counsel, and has the honours of Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) and member of the Order of the Golden Warrior (OGW). As Attorney General, she serves as the principal legal adviser to the government, representing the national government in court and in other legal proceedings.

In her inaugural address, she outlined a series of transformative initiatives aimed at modernising the department. Her leadership is poised to bring a fresh perspective to the Office of the Attorney General, promoting legal reforms and of law.

Maj-Gen Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed

In May, Maj-Gen Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed made history when she was appointed as the first female service commander leading the Kenya Air Force. She joined the military in 1983, serving under the Women Service Corps, a woman-only outfit that operated as a separate entity from the other arms of the defence forces. They were an auxiliary service offering support duties such as administrative work, logistics, medical and communication.

Her military career, spanning over four decades, is marked by numerous firsts, including being the first woman to be appointed Brigadier in 2015 and Major-General in 2018. Her rise through the ranks showcases her exceptional leadership and dedication, serving as a beacon of inspiration for women in the military.

In 2018, as she was being promoted to major general, then President Uhuru Kenyatta said he was counting on her “to be a positive role model to women” in this country. “Prove to them that there are no limits for women,” Mr Kenyatta said. Her rise has been seen as an achievement in promoting gender equality in the armed forces.

Jackline Juma

Jackline is the first ever woman to coach an all-male team in the FKF Premier League.

In August, she became the first woman to manage a club in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) following her appointment as the coach of FC Talanta. Her appointment was welcomed by many stakeholders who termed it the first step towards recognising women in football.

Asiya Mohammed

Asiya is the first female para-rower. She represented the nation at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, showcasing remarkable progress in her performance. She is a double amputee who plays several para-sports, including wheelchair tennis, para-rowing, sitting volleyball, chess, darts and javelin.

A life-altering accident at a tender age of two years changed her life forever. She lost her lower limbs after a train mowed her. The accident also led to the death of her parents. Her father died of a stroke after witnessing the accident and her mother followed suit. She was brought up by her maternal aunt, surrounded by loving cousins and she trained to become a teacher.

In 2017, she quit her teaching job to become a professional para-athlete. As a person with an adventurous spirit, she plunged into different sports, becoming multi-talented. She was at a tennis tournament in 2018 when she received a call inviting her to Tudor Water Sports in Mombasa to try out para-rowing.

Although she was trained by international coaches, she says para-rowing was cumbersome at first. The first time she tried para-rowing, her boat capsized and she did not know how to swim. She was terrified, but that did not stop her. She trained hard and eventually fell in love with the sport.

She first made history after becoming the first female para-rower to represent Kenya at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, finishing 10th overall. Her journey to the Paralympics is a story of resilience and determination, breaking barriers for athletes with disabilities and paving the way for future generations in adaptive sports.

Sally Njeri

On November 2, 64-year old Sally accomplished what no one else in Kenya had dared to dream: a non-stop, unassisted six-hour swim across seven kilometres in a swimming pool. She defied age in competitive swimming.

The grandmother, a lifeguard and swimming coach with over four decades of experience, undertook this unprecedented challenge not just to break records but also to raise awareness of water safety and support swimming programmes for children with autism.

In this race, the mother of one and grandmother of two outshone her 21-year old grandson, Onesmus Njoroge, who took multiple breaks as his grandmother pressed on. Sally has dedicated her life to water safety. One of the highlights of her career was the Lake Nakuru helicopter crash recovery operation in October 2017.

Designated as the lead diver, she coordinated efforts with a team of divers from the Kenya Defence Forces (Kenya Navy) and Kenya Lifesaving Divers, among others. And despite challenging conditions and the presence of sewage in the lake, the team managed to retrieve three bodies after 41 days of searching. Sally is one of the few seasoned lifesavers in Kenya. For her, this record-breaking swim is just the beginning. Her eyes are now set on an even more ambitious goal: representing Kenya in the Olympics.

Faith Kipyegon

In July, Faith solidified her status as one of the greatest middle-distance runners by winning the Olympic gold in the 1500 metres at the Paris Olympics. This was her third consecutive gold in the Olympics in the race. Faith holds world records in the 1,500m and one-mile events and is a former world record holder in the 5,000m. She is a shining example of Kenya’s global dominance in distance running.

From running barefoot to school to conquering the world on the track, Faith is one of the finest athletes and her exceptional performances in middle-distance races, particularly in the 1,500m, where she had numerous victories that made her stand tall in her specialty.

At 30, Faith is one of the few athletes who have been outstandingly consistent throughout her career since she won her median gold medal at the 2011 World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain.

Her first Olympic victory was at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she won the 1500m finals, which she went ahead to defend at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games before winning once again this year.

Last year, Faith broke the 1,500m record previously held by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba of 3:50:07 after she clocked 3:49:11 at the Florence Diamond League in Italy on June 2.

A week later, she surprised the world after she once again broke the 5,000m record where she lowered Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey’s record of 14:06.62 to 14:05.20 at the Paris Diamond League in France on June 9.

The record has since been broken by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, who clocked 14:00.21 at the Eugene Diamond League. On November 21, she was awarded the degree honoris causa (honorary Doctor of Education) by the University of Eldoret. 

Lt Col Faith Mwagandi

On October 20, Faith commanded the parade of Kenya Defence Forces troops drawn from the Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy, that were inspected by President William Ruto. She made history as the first female officer of the Kenya Navy to command a guard of honour.

Faith is the first female senior officer to lead a guard of honour at a national event. A woman of firsts, she joined the KDF in 2007 and later became the first female Warship Commander in East Africa from 2019 to 2022.

She also served as the Principal Warfare Officer during a critical voyage to the Netherlands for the midlife refit of KNS Shujaa. Currently, she serves as Staff Officer 1 (SO1) in charge of Personnel and Administration at the Kenya Navy.

Her extensive experience includes training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in the UK and serving on Kenya Navy vessels such as KNS Galana, KNS Shupavu, and KNS Shujaa. She also contributed significantly as an instructor at the Kenya Navy Training School and as a navigating officer on RV Mtafiti. Faith is an alumna of Moi Girls Eldoret and briefly attended Kenyatta University.

She switched to a military career after spotting a newspaper advertisement for KDF cadet recruitment, a decision that set her on a path to break barriers. She currently serves as Staff Officer 1 (SO1) in charge of Personnel and Administration at the Kenya Navy.

These remarkable women have not only achieved personal milestones but have also redefined societal norms, inspirations to pursue excellence and break barriers across all sectors.

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