Youngest county commissioner urges women to vie in 2022 poll
Ms Rehema Kiteto greets Egerton University students during the 20th Gender Awareness Day at the Njoro Campus on October 18, 2021.
Kenya’s youngest Assistant County Commissioner Rehema Malemba Kiteto has urged young women to seek leadership positions in the 2022 General Election.
She particularly singled out women who are passionate about leadership to vie for various positions from MCA, MP, senator and governor positions. Ms Kiteto said Kenya needs more women at the decision-making table to influence change.
She urged the youth to fight for the leadership space as they have the potential to lead this country.
"We need more women in leadership. I’m a strong believer of women's power in influencing change and development. I’m a strong believer of fair and equal gender representation of decision making tables,” said Ms Kiteto.
She was speaking at the Egerton University on Monday during the 20th Gender awareness Day at the Njoro-based campus on Monday. The theme of this year’s campaign is: “Women in leadership, achieving an equal future in Covid-19 world.”
Ms Kiteto, who is an alumnus of Egerton University, reminded the youth that nobody is born a leader.
"I want to remind the youth of this country that nobody is born a leader. We become leaders and it is upon us as youth to seek those leadership positions because I believe Kenya offers opportunities for us to showcase our leadership skills. It is our duty as youth to work hard to the top,” said Ms Kiteto who is an assistant commissioner in Bomet County.
She added: “For me to be counted as a change-maker and an influencer, it has been a process.”
She hailed the appointment of Chief Justice Martha Koome as the first-ever woman CJ saying “we want more women in our companies, political spaces, in the executive offices and anywhere decisions are made."
The event was attended by the chairperson National Gender and Equality Commission Dr Joyce Mutinda. Dr Mutinda said that although the country was on the right path to fight gender inequality, there were still some state agencies that had more men in leadership positions than women.
“This is against the spirit of our constitution and as a commission, we shall continue to fight for gender equality by auditing firms that are contravening this law,” said Dr Mutinda.
