Walking into ‘a man’s world’: Sofia Maro’s journey to winning Chewani ward rep race
Ms Sofia Maro, the new Chewani MCA, during the interview in Hola,Tana River County, on December 1, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Sofia Maro has made history as the first woman elected to Chewani ward, defeating 14 male rivals in a race marked by intimidation and cultural resistance, signalling a major shift in Tana River politics.
- Her victory follows a bruising campaign where patriarchal beliefs, family opposition and deliberate intimidation tried to push her out, but she persisted with the support of allies and quiet supporters.
When the final tally was announced on that Thursday night, the Chewani Ward tallying centre erupted in a thunderous mix of jubilation, tears, and disbelief. United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Sofia Maro had done the unthinkable.
In a race crowded by 14 male contenders, marred by intimidation, cultural resistance, and a deeply patriarchal political landscape, she had emerged victorious, and on her first attempt at elective politics.
Behind the 1,427 votes that secured her win lies a story much bigger than the by-election itself. It is the story of a woman who walked straight into a male-dominated battlefield, fought an entrenched cultural script designed to silence women's leadership, and stepped out with a political mandate that is already inspiring thousands of women across Tana River County and beyond.
Her victory carries historic weight: Sofia Maro has become the first woman elected to the Chewani ward Office since the onset of devolution in 2013. At the Tana River County Assembly, her win means that only two out of the 15 elected MCAs will be women, a sobering reminder of the gender gaps that still define county politics.
Yet, it is precisely this context that makes her triumph not just political, but revolutionary. The Chewani ward seat fell vacant following the tragic death of her elder brother, former MCA Hamisi Deye, in a road accident in June 2023.
When Sofia stepped forward to seek the mandate to succeed him, she walked straight into a cultural confrontation that quickly turned political. In her community, certain traditional beliefs hold that a woman should not "inherit" a man's leadership role, even through a democratic process.
Her candidacy was, therefore, met with stiff resistance from some elders, who warned that her ascendancy could "disturb the leadership trajectory of the community."
During an interview with Nation.Africa, she recalled being told that her ambition would attract conflict, discomfort, and even misfortune. The resistance did not stop at the community level. A faction of her own extended family backed a male candidate, arguing that leadership was a man's domain.
It was painful, she said, to be rejected by the very people she expected to stand with her in honour of her late brother's legacy. Yet even as cultural arguments were weaponised to discredit her, Sofia refused to retreat. "I kept reminding myself that leadership is not inherited by gender; it is earned by vision, capacity and service," she said.
As the only woman in a field of 16 candidates, she soon discovered the brutal reality of local politics. Some of her competitors dismissed her candidacy as a joke; others whispered to voters that Chewani would never accept a woman as their MCA, and a few went as far as claiming that electing her would "curse the homestead."
Read: Timeline: The rise and fall of women's representation in Kenya’s political leadership since 2022
More hurtful still was the realisation that some of the women she hoped would rally behind her had been influenced to despise her, claiming she lacked the strength for leadership. The hostility, the gossip, the sideways glances—all of it weighed heavily. But the most intense pressure came from deliberate intimidation.
Sofia recounts moments when male rivals attempted to force her into withdrawing, insisting that she did not belong in the race. There were nights she went home shaken, wondering if the battle was worth the emotional toll.
"There was a day I almost quit. The attacks were not just political. They were personal. They questioned my identity, my family, my belonging," she admits.
Just when she felt her resolve slipping, one voice remained consistent: that of Senator Dr Danson Mungatana, who she describes as the pillar who steadied her. "He kept telling me, 'Sofia, don't step back. You will win. Keep going.' At a time when I doubted myself, he saw what I could become," she reminisced.
His encouragement, combined with quiet support from women who saw their own struggles reflected in her journey, kept her on the campaign trail. Her entrance into politics taught her difficult but invaluable lessons.
She learned that for women, politics is not simply about presenting ideas or passion for service; it is a terrain where one must brace for psychological warfare, economic disadvantage, character attacks, and entrenched stereotypes.
"For women in Tana River, getting into politics is not just about having ideas and being of good intentions. The field is murky. Opponents play rough. And you must be mentally strong," she reflected.
Still, her victory has replaced her pain with purpose. Sofia enters office with a clear vision for the people of Chewani, shaped directly by the challenges she has endured. She plans to champion mental health campaigns focusing on women, many of whom silently shoulder immense burdens.
She also intends to advocate a dignified maternity environment at Hola Referral Hospital, insisting that no woman should suffer whilst bringing life into the world. For the youth, she envisions a ward where academic aspirations, talent development, and entrepreneurship are not hindered by lack of opportunity.
With only 18 months before the next General Election, she says her assignment begins immediately. "There is no time to warm the seat. I must deliver fast, and I must deliver well because 2027 is here and voters will not mind that I was there in a very short time; they will ask for results," she said.
But perhaps her most powerful contribution will be symbolic: the space she has opened for women in a county where elective leadership remains overwhelmingly male. She hopes her journey will embolden more women to defy cultural ceilings, challenge patriarchal norms, and assert their right to lead. Her message to women aspiring to political leadership is simple but profound:
"Politics will test you. It will shake your confidence. Some will fight you because you are a woman. Others will fear you for the same reason. But don't quit. Don't let culture silence you. Don't let intimidation swallow your dreams. Walk in boldly, even when you are trembling inside."
As she prepares to take her seat amongst 13 male counterparts in the Tana River County Assembly, her presence alone tells a powerful story of resilience, defiance, and possibility. For the young girls watching her declare victory in Chewani ward, a new truth has taken root: leadership has no gender, and every glass ceiling can be shattered.
In Sofia, the women of Chewani have found living proof.
