Sally Kimondo, a Kenyan was on Friday elected as the Dunstable East Councillor, flooring three other candidates in the race after clinching 372 votes.
Kimondo is a social worker and supports Kenyans living in Luton, Dunstable, and surrounding areas. She has been previously been praised for championing the rights of Kenyans living in the diaspora.
She ran on a Dunstable and Houghton Regis Labour Party ticket on a promise of effecting social change.
Kimondo holds a degree in Social Work from the University of Bedfordshire and has seen her political star rise for remaining true to her political ideals.
"I am a qualified senior Social Worker with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry. I have gained experience within the journey of a child and now based within a Safeguarding team," she wrote on her LinkedIn profile.
Additionally, she is the founder and Chair of the multi-award-winning Luton, Dunstable & Surrounding Kenya Community Forum.
As a councillor, she will represent the local community of Kenyans and others in the area.
"Being an effective councillor requires both commitment and hard work. Councillors have to balance the needs and interests of residents, the political party they represent, and the council," reads part of the UK government guidelines.
She had pledged to tackle anti-social behaviour. Kimondo explained that tackling anti-social behavior can be solved by working with agencies to build community cohesion.
Kimondo also vowed to address the cost of fuel, advocate for better amenities for residents, fixing lighting and potholes among other initiatives to make Duntsable East a more habitable area for the residents.
Each elected councillor serves for four years and can be re-elected or replaced with a new candidate. The councillor may however quit and this would result in a by-election.
All councillors are entitled to a basic allowance.
