By Judith Gicobi
Meg Whitman, the US ambassador to Kenya, has praised Kenyan women who won political seats in the just-concluded August elections.
Whitman said in a statement on Friday that the action is a good step in the direction of establishing gender equality.
“As we mark Women’s Equality Day commemorating a woman’s right to vote (19th Amendment) in the US, I congratulate the record of elected women – 26MPs, three Senators, and the seven Governors inaugurated yesterday (Thursday). What a fantastic step towards gender equality,” she said.
The 45 governors who took the oath of office on Thursday included the seven women elected to leadership positions.
A number of women were elected for the first time in the August election, while others were re-elected to serve second terms.
In comparison to the 2017 elections, which saw three women win the seats, seven women were elected governors.
Ann Waiguru of Kirinyaga, Susan Kihika of Nakuru, Kawira Mwangaza of Meru, Fatuma Achani of Kwale, and Cecily Mbarire of Embu County are some of the seven female governors.
Others included Gladys Wanga of Homabay County and Wavinya Ndeti of Machakos.
Three women were elected to serve as senators in 2017. They were Fatuma Dullo for Isiolo, Susan Kihika for Nakuru, and Margaret Kamar for Uasin Gishu.
In 2022, also three women were voted in to serve as senators.
The women are Tabitha Karanja (Nakuru), Agnes Kavindu (Machakos), and Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo).
