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Women politicians storm governor contests ahead of 2027 showdown
Women leaders aspiring to governorship in 2027.
What you need to know:
- Across Kenya, women politicians are stepping forward, seeking governorships and challenging entrenched male dominance ahead of 2027 elections.
- Female leaders are leveraging grassroots support, endorsements, and development records to mount serious bids for county leadership positions nationwide.
As the clock ticks towards the 2027 General Election, many politicians are coming out to declare their gubernatorial ambitions. Most of the women who have so far declared their interest are sitting MPs. They are keen to provide alternative leadership to men's.
Kakamega Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda is one of the MPs who have declared their interest in the governorship. She is confident that she will send Governor Fernandes Barasa home and has accused him of failing residents.
Kakamega woman rep Elsie Muhanda at African Divine Church in Malava, Kakamega County on September 29, 2024.
The lawmaker has been spearheading economic empowerment and giving free farm inputs, such as maize seedlings and fertilisers, to farmers under her Agenda Fukuza Njaa initiative. “I have enough experience to propel Kakamega County’s development agenda forward as governor. I want to make sure the people are connected to water and are economically empowered by uplifting their businesses. As a businessperson, I know the power of business in economic empowerment,” Elsie says.
Already, the MP has bagged endorsement by some county politicians. Recently, Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya raised a storm after he endorsed Elsie for the Kakamega top seat. He is Fernandes’ predecessor.
The former governor questioned what residents would base their decisions on to re-elect Fernandes. He said Elsie is best-suited to take over, assuring her of his full support and wishing her success. “She has been a woman rep and has told me she now wants to be governor and I have said it’s okay. I wish her all the best.”
Sirisia MP John Walukhe has also endorsed Elsie. Speaking in Lurambi recently, he defended Elsie’s gubernatorial ambitions, saying nothing is wrong with the election of women to such a high-profile office. Elsie has on several occasions appealed to Fernandes to prioritise critical issues such as improving healthcare rather than harassing traders, who are a vital part of the local economy.
Besides Elsie and the incumbent, the Kakamega gubernatorial race has attracted two other aspirants: Senator Boni Khalwale and DCP deputy leader Cleophas Malala.
Kiambu
About 400km away in Kiambu, another woman legislator has thrown her hat in the gubernatorial ring. Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a recently announced that she will offer herself for the Kiambu governor seat currently held by Kimani Wamatangi. She was endorsed by a section of grassroots leaders in Thika. Alice asserted that her groundwork survey had “proved beyond reasonable doubt” that she was ready for the seat.
Thika Town MP Alice Ng'ang'a.
“After touring the County, I have realised that our people are still faced with the same challenges despite having functional devolved units. I will vie for the governor position. I will oust the current governor and save our people. I know I’m capable of improving the lives of our people.”
Alice has rallied the majority of the 12 MPs from Kiambu to support her bid, including Kikuyu’s Kimani Ichung’wah, who is the National Assembly Majority leader. The MPs said time is ripe for the county to elect a woman governor as they have demonstrated that they have the interests of residents at heart. They also cited Machakos, Homa Bay, Kirinyaga, Embu and Nakuru, which are women-led, saying most of them have outperformed counties led by men in development.
Alice says she will, in due course, outline her agenda by mainly taking care of issues that successive administrations have ignored. The two-term lawmaker does not see eye to eye with the current governor. With each passing day, their rivalry intensifies. “Soon, I will be the governor of Kiambu. Here in Kiambu I am known as Mama Simba,” she said recently.
Marsabit
Near Kenya’s border with Ethiopia, Woman Representative Naomi Waqo has also declared her intention to run for Marsabit governor. She is the first woman in northern Kenya to declare interest in the governorship. Last year, Borana community elders endorsed her ambition. Political observers view this as a major boost. Naomi was crowned by her Fulele clan, which added that time was ripe for women to lead.
Marsabit women representative Naomi Jillo Waqo at Parliament Buildings for the opening of the fifth Session of the 13th Parliament on February 10, 2026.
The endorsement goes against the general belief among the Borana who usually view women as dictatorial leaders. They have held that their ancient female ruler, Ako Habonaye, used an iron fist and was later killed by Rendille warriors during a peacekeeping meeting.
“I recognise the elders who have shown their respect through endorsement. May God bless you. This is a huge step for a woman to be blessed by elders that she is fit to vie for the governor's seat. I say thank you to them for recognising women's leadership,” said Naomi—the National Assembly Deputy Majority Whip.
The ceremony was led by the Fulele Council of Elders chaired by Abagadha Liban Jaldesa. “As elders, we did our assessment that the woman representative has the requisite credentials to lead the county as governor,” he said.
Naomi is expected to face off with Saku MP Dido Rasso, who was also endorsed in December 2023 by some Borana elders. The race is expected to attract other candidates as the clock ticks towards 2027. Former Ijara MP Sophia Abdi, the first female MP from North-Eastern, says it is not easy for a woman to get endorsed by male elders and leaders.
Laikipia
Besides sitting MPs, a number of former legislators have declared their interest in the governorship. In Laikipia, former Woman representative Cate Waruguru will vie on the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) ticket. The ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua expressed confidence that voters will entrust her with the seat.
Cate currently serves as the National Women League leader in the DCP. She says she is ready to step into a larger leadership role and is upbeat about emerging tops. “I am ready to serve the people of Laikipia at a higher level. Come 2027, I will be on the ballot. I believe the people will entrust me with leadership,” she said.
Former Laikipia woman representative Cate Waruguru addresses worshippers during a church service at PCEA Emmanuel Matanya Church in Laikipia County on January 19, 2025.
Her entry into the race is expected to reshape local political dynamics, with analysts anticipating intense competition as more aspirants join. “Laikipia is ready for a new chapter. The county deserves leadership that is present, responsive, and focused on real solutions, not noise. The future we want will not be handed to us; we must build it together with courage, honesty, and action,” Cate posted on her Facebook page.
She has pledged to reduce taxes, raising concerns about the state of county health facilities, saying hospitals resemble museums as they lack drugs and other essential supplies.
In 2022, Cate unsuccessfully contested the Laikipia West parliamentary seat. She, however, failed to clinch the seat after she was floored in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) primaries by the incumbent, Karan Stephen. She later joined the UDA campaign trail, traversing different counties to rally support for President William Ruto.
After Kenya Kwanza assumed power, she was appointed Chief Administrative Secretary for Foreign Affairs and was sworn in, but the courts later declared the position unconstitutional, leaving her out of office.
During Rigathi’s impeachment, she publicly came out in his defence. Since then, she has been in the opposition and has remained a vocal critic of the Ruto administration. She will face off with former Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, Koinange Wahome, Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East MP)—all of whom have shown interest in the governorship.
Trans Nzoia
Hundreds of kilometres away in Trans Nzoia, former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, now Kenya’s Representative to the United Nations Habitat, has also declared her interest in the governor seat. She seeks to remove from office Governor George Natembeya. She has accused the incumbent of neglecting his people, especially in the healthcare sector.
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat Susan Nakhumicha.
“The Kenyan Constitution allows every Kenyan, regardless of their gender, to hold a leadership position. I have enough experience in leadership and management and I want to bring fresh leadership into the cosmopolitan county,” she said.
Susan was recently endorsed by some elders, a move political pundits term much-needed. The incumbent, a fierce critic of National Assembly speaker Moses Wetang’ula, recently dropped his bid for the presidency and instead announced that he will concentrate on his re-election on the Dap-K ticket. He has been traversing the Western region to sell his agenda.
Other races
Other women leaders angling for the governor’s seat include former Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa in Kilifi. She ditched the UDA and joined the Pamoja African Alliance on whose ticket she intends to run in 2027.
Former Gender, Culture, and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa.
The number of women governor candidates has remained low in all three general elections since the advent of devolution under the 2010 Constitution. However, the past two, the number increased from nine in 2017 to 22 in 2022, when seven women were elected: Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Kawira Mwangaza (Meru), Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Fatuma Achani (Kwale) Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos) Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), and Cecily Mbarire (Embu). This is the highest number since the advent of devolution.
The gender rule has yet to be achieved in the Council of Governors as it is still dominated by men. In addition, eight women were elected as deputy governor in Trans Nzoia, Kiambu, Murang’a, Narok, Makueni, Kilifi, Taita Taveta and Bungoma counties.
