Women in business laud Kenyans for electing more female political leaders
Women in Business CEO Ms Mary Muthoni (in blue top) addressing the media on August 18, 2022.
What you need to know:
- The August 9 polls saw a record seven women elected as governors.
- Three women senators and 29 more women were elected to the Nation Assembly.
A lobby group of women in business has lauded Kenyans for voting in more women into political office in the just concluded Genera Election, saying the move shows Kenya has matured democratically.
The August 9 polls saw a record seven women elected as governors. Three women senators and 29 more women were elected to the Nation Assembly.
Addressing the media, Women in Business Network chief executive officer Ms Mary Muthoni said the record number of women joining the ranks of leadership in the country is a testament that Kenyans have come of age as a society.
Ms Muthoni also said the record numbers point to better times ahead for women leaders in the country.
“At no time in Kenya’s post-independence history have we witnessed such a remarkable proportion of women right across democratic representation,” said Ms Muthoni.
“This is testimony that as a society, we have come of age democratically and embraced the fact that women are as capable as men are,” she added.
The seven elected governors are drawn from Mt Kenya region, Rift Valley, Nyanza, Coast and Western while the three senators are from Rift Valley, Upper and Lower Eastern regions.
The seven female governor-elects are Susan Kihika (Nakuru County), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay County), Cecicly Mbarire (Embu County), Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos County), and Fatuma Achani (Kwale County), Kawira Mwangaza (Meru County) and Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga County).
In 2017 elections, only three women were elected as governors with only Ms Waiguru being the only survivor from the list that included Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and the late Joyce Laboso (Bomet).
In Nakuru County for instance, female candidates were elected to eight positions, including governor, senator and woman representative -- with Ms Kihika, Tabitha Karanja and Liza Chelule claiming those victories.
On the other hand, the 26 women MPs, up from 23 in 2017, will add to the 47 elected Women Representatives for each county.
Ms Muthoni said the women leaders were voted in, not just by their own genders but also by men because Kenyans are proud of them.
“Moving forward, we now need to support these 90 elected leaders so that they bring a sense of balance to the policies that we shall craft forthwith at every level of leadership they occupy respectively,” she said.
She added that with such a number of women in elected leadership, Kenya will strengthen more social bonds right from the family unit in order to build a more cohesive nation.
“We shall pray to excel so that come 2027, we get an even higher number of women in not just political office but elected representation.”
