The recently concluded general election came with a lot of challenges for women. Reports indicated that a significant number of physical assault cases were reported during the election period. Nevertheless, the election was also a big win for women as the number of female governors rose from 3 in the 2017 general elections to 7. Here are the 7 female county bosses for the next five years.
Gladys Wanga-Homabay
She garnered 244,559 votes ahead of her closest rival Dr Evans Kidero who amassed 154,182 votes. Before she was elected as the governor she was the female representative for Homabay county in 2013. Ms Wanga is a woman of firsts as she was the first female chairperson of the parliamentary Finance and Planning. She was also the first female county chairperson of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) among other achievements.
Susan Kihika-Nakuru
The newly elected governor is the daughter of former Naukur East MP the late Kihika Kimani and is known for her fearlessness. She got 440, 707 votes ahead of outgoing governor Lee Kinyanjui’s 225,623 votes. Like Wanga, Kihika has held various political positions in the past including Nakuru County Assembly Speaker between 2013 and 2017. She is also the outgoing senator for Nakuru County. The county made history for having women in the top County positions with Tabitha Karanja taking over the senatorial position from Kihika.
Anne Waiguru-Kirinyaga
Anne Waiguru was one of the first three governors that Kenya has had since independence after winning the Kirinyaga Gubernatorial race in 2017. She managed to retain her position after garnering 113,088 votes.
Cecily Mbarire-Embu
Mbarire becomes the first female governor of Embu county after being announced the winner in the August 9 general election. She had 108,610 votes while her closest competitor Lenny Kivuti got 105,246 votes. Ms. Mbarire has had a long-running career that started in 2002 when she was nominated as an MP. She also served as an assistant minister between 2005 and 2007 in the ministry of transport.
Wavinya Ndeti- Machakos
Wavinya Ndeti’s political journey started in 2007 when she was elected as the member of parliament for Kathiani constituency and has been active in politics since then. She unsuccessfully vied for the gubernatorial position for Machakos County in 2017. She served as a Chief Administrative Secretary in the ministry of transport in the outgoing government. She takes over from outgoing governor Alfred Mutua after garnering 253,106 votes out of the 413,875 votes cast.
Fatuma Achani-Kwale County
Ms. Achani becomes the first female governor not just in Kwale County but also in the entire Coastal region. She is the outgoing deputy governor and takes over the mantle from her boss outgoing governor Salim Mvurya. Ms. Achani was announced thhe winner after garnering 59,674 votes ahead of Hamadi Boga and Chai Lung’anzi who got 53,972 and 47,301 votes respectively.
Kawira Mwangaza-Embu
Ms. Mwangaza becomes the first female governor of Embu county after defeating Mithika Linturi of UDA who polled 183, 859 votes, and Kiraitu Murungi got 110, 814 votes. Ms. Mwangaza is the outgoing female representative of Embu County. She is an epitome of self-confidence seeing as she won both the female representative position and the gubernatorial position on an independent ticket. Ms. Mwangaza has since joined the Kenya Kwanza Coalition.
Special mention. Linet Chepkorir-Bomet Women Rep elect
Chepkorir made history for being the youngest women representative the country has had at 24 years. Chepkorir graduated from Tharaka University College, a Constituent College of Chuka University 2021, and the position is her debut in national politics. She got 242,775 beating older and experienced candidates by far.
The governors-elect are set to be sworn into their positions this past week and Kenyans can’t wait to see what they have in store for their counties.
Featured Image: Kenyans await to vote during the August 9 election. Photo|The Africa Report
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