Over 30 women Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of County Assembly (MCAs) joined six Kenyan Women Governors in endorsing Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru for the Deputy Presidency seat.
Speaking during the G7 Summit on Thursday in Kirinyaga County, the leaders hailed Waiguru as a transformative leader whose work in Kirinyaga County and as a Council of Governors (COG) chair position puts her in an excellent position to take over bigger national roles.
The G7 movement brings together all 7 women Governors in Kenya; Kirinyaga’s Anne Waiguru, Machakos’ Wavinya Ndeti, Nakuru’s Susan Kihika, Homa Bay’s Glady’s Wanga, Embu’s Cecily Mbarire, Kwale’s Fatuma Achani and Meru’s Kawira Mwangaza.
Taking to the stage in the G7 Kirinyaga Chapter, the county leaders showered praises on Waiguru’s mentorship to women leaders across the country and also the development projects she had achieved in her county.
Gladys Wanga on her part insisted that Waiguru was a strong woman fit for any position. She further noted that all the G7 colleagues had learned something from her style of leadership in Kirinyaga County.
Her sentiments were also echoed by her Machakos counterpart Wavinya Ndeti who said, “Governor Anne Waiguru is a worker. We are here to learn and sharpen each other. We have just seen the Kerugoya Hospital where I got to witness its initiation and I am happy that it was completed and well-equipped. The standards in that hospital are only equitable to those in some of the biggest hospitals in this country.”
Holding the record as the first-ever woman governor in Kenya, her colleagues said her determination inspired them to also vie for the position, breaking the glass ceiling for all women across the country.
As for Kwale’s Achani, she referred to Waiguru as an excellent mentor and role model who has been a champion for women's leadership in the country which puts her in a great position to join the league of national politics.
Besides the governors, Ida Odinga, also the patron for the G7 movement, joined the conversation saying that she had too been impressed by the Kirinyaga county’s developments and this reflected Waiguru’s readiness for the next level.
The Women representatives also expressed their unwavering support should she vie for the presidency in 2032. “We have seen the good work that Waiguru has done and we are saying the future is women. Come 2032 and the President shall be a woman and Waiguru will be there.” Faith Gitau, Nyandarua County’s Women Representative said.
She was backed by fellow Women MPs from Nairobi and Samburu Counties; Esther Passaris and Naisula Lesuuda who said Waiguru's development record at the national level including Huduma Centres were a testament to her readiness.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya also praised Waiguru's Kirinyaga County development efforts asserting that only a woman could do that type of work.
After thanking her colleagues for commending her efforts, Waiguru observed that women have been underrepresented in positions of power for a long time.
This, she said was why the G7 movement was aimed at providing a framework to guide collective efforts in realizing the true potential of devolution in Kenya while amplifying the voices of women in leadership.
The G7 movement aims to see more women leaders elected to positions of power and ensure the eventual realisation of the two-thirds gender rule in the Kenyan Government.
