Most outstanding Kenyan female politicians

Kenya has had its fair share of tough, go-getter women since independence. If last year’s elections are anything to go by, women are charging forward and claiming their seat at the table.

Some of these outstanding politicians include:

Anne Waiguru

Anne Waiguru. [File, Standard]

Waiguru came into the spotlight when she was appointed Devolution Cabinet Secretary in 2013. However, before then she had excelled in her career having been technical advisor to the office of the president during former president Mwai Kibaki’s administration on secondment from the World Bank.

Later she served as the head of governance and economic stimulus programme at the national treasury. In 2011 while working at the treasury she was successfully nominated as one of the top 40 under 40 women in the country, the only nominee from the public service!

The way she whistle-blew on the ongoings of NYS in 2015 and consequently stepping down even though she was eventually cleared of any culpability showed her grit and strength of character. She was elected with resounding success as governor of Kirinyaga in 2017 and later on as vice chair of the Council of Governors.

Millie Odhiambo

Millie Odhiambo. [File, Standard]

The fiercely loyal Raila supporter and Suba North MP is a most outspoken member of national assembly. She speaks what she believes in and has no problem telling off anyone who dares attack Raila.

She regularly trends on the internet due to her loud and dramatic hairstyles and public stunts including walking barefoot on the streets of Nairobi once. Millie is a lawyer by profession having studied in University of Nairobi and a masters from New York University on Public Service Law.

Charity Ngilu

Charity Ngilu. [File, Standard]

The Kitui governor is most remembered for her bold move to vie for president in the 1997 elections going against the then president Moi, and Mwai Kibaki who was also contesting then. Ngilu is a tenacious politician and has faced many personal and public setbacks without ever backing down. She was appointed Lands CS in 2013 by Uhuru Kenyatta but resigned in 2015 following corruption allegations in her ministry.

Naisula Lesuuda

Naisula Lesuuda. [File, Standard]

The most prominent female politician from the pastoralist community, Naisula is a graduate of Daystar University. She started off in the media and then went into politics having seen the plight of women and girls in her community. She was nominated by Jubilee party in 2013 into senate. She vied for MP for Samburu West in 2017 and won. She is outspoken about women's rights especially in the very conservative pastoralist community where she comes from.

Cynthia Jepkosgei muge

Cynthia Jepkosgei Muge. [File, Standard]

She is the youngest female MCA at 24 years. She comes from Nandi County. She is a graduate of University of Nairobi and currently represents Kilibwoni ward in the Nandi county assembly.

Margaret Kamar

Margaret Kamar. [File, Standard]

The nominated senator has been in politics since 2008 when she was elected to represent the Eldoret East constituency. Kamar comes from Keiyo, Elgeyo Marakwet county. Kamar is a professor having studied soil science to PhD level. She is also the late Nicholas Biwott’s first wife.

Sophia Abdi Noor

Sophia Abdi Noor. [File, Standard]

Sophia Abdi Noor stunned Kenyans when she became the first elected female MP in the North Eastern region. Coming from a community where women have little say in leadership because of religion and culture, Sophia beat the odds by taking on male competitors in the Ijara constituency parliamentary race and winning with a convincing 6,001 votes! The former teacher also did not vie with the two perceived big parties at the time- NASA and Jubilee but instead vied through little-known PDR party.