Since devolution kicked in under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, female leaders have been working hard to stamp their authority, make their presence felt and get their fair share of the national cake.
The notable surge in female governors from three to seven, coupled with their commendable leadership of major institutions, truly highlighted the standout contributions of women leaders this year.
Here are two women leaders who really went above and beyond in their duties this year.
- Gladys Wanga
Since taking over the reins in Homa Bay County, Governor Gladys Wanga has emerged as a trailblazing light in service delivery, consistently ranking among the best governors in the country.
At the end of October, research firm Infotrak named her the best performing female Governor and second best-performing in general, tying with the top governor George Natembeya who scored 70 per cent.
The survey dubbed County Track Survey was conducted between July to September with a sample of 58,748 people from all 47 counties.
A month earlier, the Governor had been named among top five county bosses in terms of development alongside Cecily Mbarire (Embu), Irungu Kang'ata (Murang'a), Abdi Hassan Guyo (Isiolo), and Susan Kihika.
Her achievements were further recognised when President Ruto honoured her during the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations with the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.), the highest civilian honour despite her being a loyal ally of former Prime Minister and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
- Rebecca Miano
In October, President William Ruto reshuffled his Cabinet and moved CS Rebecca Miano from the East African Community Ministry to Trade, taking over from the controversial Moses Kuria.
Kuria was starting to become a political headache for President Ruto and was routinely left out of critical inter-country trade meetings.
In July, high-level US Trade Representative Katherine Tai who was visiting Kenya for key talks declined to meet Kuria ostensibly because of his unhinged outspoken nature and uncouth verbal and social media attacks directed at the opposition, government critics and the media.
Tai would later tell journalists that the Kenyan government was aware of the reason why she declined to meet CS Kuria.
Kuria was also left out of trade talks when President William Ruto led a Kenyan delegation to the United States for the US- Africa Business Roundtable in September where Council of Economic Advisors member and former Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed was introduced as the country’s Trade Minister.
Miano’s transfer to the Trade docket was largely viewed as a promotion owing to the Ministry’s strategic nature.
Within the same month, CS Miano convened 100 Japanese CEOs at an event in Japan where she signed a deal to Initiate Industrial Policy Dialogue (IPD) with her Japanese Counterpart Yasutoshi Nishimura, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The deal will serve as a gateway allowing Japanese investors to set up companies in Kenya and create much-needed jobs.
