Powerful Position Uhuru's Sister Held in The 70's

Kenyatta family is classified among the few most powerful families in Kenya.

Jomo Kenyatta, the first President of Kenya, has had a number of his children holding senior government positions over the years, with Uhuru Kenyatta topping the lists by being the Commander-in-chief since 2013.

Mama Ngina Kenyatta is believed to be among the top 10 richest women in Kenya, thanks to her numerous successful business ventures that have taken root both in Africa and outside.

Uhuru's sister, Margaret Wambui Kenyatta, served as the Mayor of Nairobi for two terms from 1970 to 1976, becoming the first African woman to become the mayor of Kenya's capital city and second African woman mayor in Kenya.

[caption caption="Margaret Kenyatta with other officials"][/caption]

Ms Wambui Kenyatta was the daughter of the first President Kenyatta and his first wife, Grace Wahu.

Wambui also served as Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1976 to 1986.

She was thereafter appointed as a Commissioner with the Electoral Commission of Kenya from 1992 to 2002.

Before actively joining politics, Margaret taught at the Kenya Teachers’ Training College at Githunguri, Kiambu, where her father had become the Principal in 1946 after returning from England.

The return of her father, saw the awakening of her political life as they toured the country together explaining to people the meaning of freedom as well as attend various political meetings. 

Upon her father's arrest and jailing on 20 October 1952 after the declaration of the state of Emergency, she became the source of information for Jomo through the numerous personal letters she wrote him.

[caption caption="Jomo Kenyatta"][/caption]

During her tenure as mayor, her passion for women issues grew leading her to commit to improve the lives of women, especially their rights, and increasing their voice to be heard and their involvement in the movement to find the rightful role of women in an independent state.

Wambui's defence and support of women's empowerment was also evidenced when she was appointed by President Jomo Kenyatta in 1967 as a member of the Commission on the Law of Marriage and Divorce to consider the existing laws relating to marriage and divorce in Kenya.

Margaret had also been elected as a Counsellor for Dagoretti Ward in Nairobi in 1963 and was subsequently re-elected for four subsequent terms.

During her time, she played a prominent role in the administration of public health in the city as she was the Chair of Pumwani Maternity Hospital Sub-committee.

[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta and the first lady Margaret laying wreathe on his sister's grave"][/caption]

Margaret Wambui Kenyatta, passed on in April 2017.

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