After the promulgation of the Kenyan Constitution in 2010, there was a need to recognise the contribution of women in running the affairs of the country.
The Constitution thus acted as a catalyst for the inclusion of women in public spaces dismantling patriarchal structures and fast-tracked gender mainstreaming processes in Kenya.
This has seen various women leaders take up positions in public institutions while at the same time setting the bar high in their service to the nation.
Kenyans.co.ke details several of these leaders.
1. Chief Justice Martha Koome
Famously known for her ruling on the August 9 presidential election Martha Karambu Koome has contributed significantly to the growth of Kenya's democracy.
Koome is a renowned human rights and gender advocate and the first female Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya.
She participated in the campaign for the repeal of section 2A of the Kenyan Constitution that converted Kenya into a multi-party state and effectively introduced presidential term limits.
She was the African Union (AU) Commissioner to the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of Children.
Additionally, she served as the Chairperson of the National Council on the Administration of Justice special task force on children matters where she engaged duty bearers to discuss possible amendments to the Children’s Act of Kenya.
2. Nancy Macharia TSC Chairperson
Macharia took over the reins at the helm of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in 2015 after flooring 69 other applicants for the position.
A graduate of Kenyatta University and Bristol University in the UK, Macharia is a member of the Kenya Association of Public Administration Management (KAPAM) and the Institute of Directors.
She also sits at the Kenya National Examinations Council, KNEC, as a Board member.
The TSC Boss has also undergone training in diverse fields including Corporate Governance, Public Procurement, Policy Formation, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Proactive Management and Business Excellence Models, among others.
In 2014, former President Uhuru Kenyatta awarded her the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) for her tremendous contributions to the education sector.
She was part of the team that steered the national integrated data system for the TSC.
3. Ann Amadi; Chief Registrar of Judiciary
Amadi is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and holds a Masters in Criminal Justice from Boston University, USA.
She joined the judicial service as a District Magistrate II (Prof.) in 1990 and rose through the ranks to become a Resident Magistrate.
Amadi equally served at the Federation of Women Lawyers, Kenya (FIDA) as Deputy Executive Director between 2003 and 2008 and as the National Coordinator of the National Legal Aid and Awareness Programme (NALEAP).
Among her functions, she is Secretary to the Judicial Service Commission; National Council for Administration of Justice.
She is also In charge of the procurement of all stores, management and maintenance of all physical facilities.
Amadi equally administers the oath of office of the President-Elect before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
“The oath or affirmation under subsection (1) shall be administered to the President-elect by the Chief Registrar before the Chief Justice, or, in the absence of the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice,” states the law.
4. Commissioner Jane Kiringai CRA Chairperson
She was appointed to the role by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017.
Kiringai holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Nottingham, UK, and a Masters in Development Economics from Williams College.
Before joining CRA she worked as a Senior Economist with the World Bank covering a broad range of economic development issues, including macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, public expenditure management and fiscal decentralization.
She was recruited by Kenya Institute of Public Policy, Research and Analysis (Kippra) as a policy analyst, a member of Kippra's first team of employees.
The CRA’s job is to come up with the formula to be used in dividing revenue between the national and county governments.
5. Ann N. Nderitu; Registrar of Political Parties
A seasoned public service professional, Nderitu has a specialisation in Public Administration; Elections Management, Governance and Education.
The Registrar holds a Master’s Degree in Linguistics, Bachelor of Education (English and Literature) from The University of Nairobi.
She is a Certified BRIDGE Accrediting Facilitator who is internationally recognised for running numerous electoral training programmes and elections observation programmes across the globe.
Nderitu is also a holder of a Presidential Award, Moran of Burning Spear (MBS) as a recognition of the intense contribution to promotion of good governance.
It is important to note that since the promulgation of the Constitution, the number of women in politics, power and decision-making in Kenya has risen.
This is attributed to the two-third gender principle in the Constitution as well as the subsequent legislations furthering this rule like the Elections Act and The Political Parties Act of 2011.
