Kenyans elected more women as governors in the August 9, General Election than they did in 2017.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission - IEBC provisional results, at least six women have been elected as county bosses.
Kenyans.co.ke compiled a list of some of the women who have been declared governor-elect in various counties.
Fatuma Achani
Fatuma Achani was voted in as governor for Kwale County garnering 59,674 votes against ODM candidate Hamadi Boga who racked in 53,972 votes.
Achani not only becomes the first UDA candidate to win a gubernatorial election in the area but also the first-ever woman to be elected governor in the coast region.
She is currently the county Deputy Governor and will take over the leadership baton from her boss Salim Mvurya, who completed two terms.
Kawira Mwangaza
Former Meru County Woman Representative Kawira Mwangaza also etched her name in the history books, becoming the first female governor to be elected on an independent ticket.
Mwangaza mustered 209,148 votes with second-placed Mithika Linturi, who is the county Senator bagging 183,859 votes on a UDA ticket.
She dethroned incumbent Kiraitu Murungi, a seasoned political veteran, who came in at a distant third with 110,814 ballots cast in his favour. The Woman Rep expressed gratitude to Meru residents for entrusting her to lead them.
"My people of Meru, I thank you all. I also like to thank God for enabling us. I also want to appreciate my running mate Rev Isaac Mutuma for heeding the call to save the people of Meru," Mwangaza stated.
Gladys Wanga
Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga will join her Meru counterpart Mwangaza in the council of governors after being declared governor-elect in her county.
Wanga put up a spirited fight against former Nairobi County Boss Evans Kidero with 244,559 votes against 154,142 - a margin of 90,377 votes.
Wanga broke the ceiling, becoming the first woman to be elected governor in the Nyanza region. She is also the youngest county boss to be elected in Luo Nyanza
A serial history maker, the Woman Rep became the first woman ODM chairperson in Homa Bay and also the first to head the powerful National Assembly Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.
Anne Waiguru
In one of the most tightly contested battles for county boss, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru survived the threat of losing her seat to Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici, who was running as an independent candidate.
Waiguru, a former Devolution Minister, outclassed her rival Ngirici by 7,211 votes after she mustered 113,088 votes against the MP's 105,677 votes.
In an election marred with accusations and counter-accusations of alleged attempts to manipulate the vote, the incumbent termed her win as a miracle.
"It is just a miracle that I made it and I want to first start by thanking God because if it was not for his strength, ability, wisdom, favour and grace upon me, I would not have been able to be here," Waiguru stated.
Cecily Mbarire
UDA candidate Cecily Mbarire joined Waiguru and Mwangaza to become the third woman to be declared governor-elect in the Mount Kenya region - Embu County.
The nominated MP secured 108,610 votes which was the required ammunition to trounce her cloest competitor Lenny Kivuti who bagged 105,246 votes.
Kivuti who vied on a Devolution Empowerment Party ticket, popularly known as 'Mbus' was floored by the former Majority Deputy Chief Whip.
Susan Kihika
Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika dethroned incumbent Lee Kinyanjui to become the county's third governor.
Kihika whitewashed Kinyanjui, after she bagged 440,707 votes against Kinyanjui's 225,623, rendering the outgoing county boss a victim of Deputy President William Ruto's UDA's 'yellow wave'.
She made history as Nakuru's first female governor-elect and will lead an all-woman team comprising Senator-elect Tabitha Karanja and Woman Rep elect-Liza Chelule.
Irene Njoki, Martha Wangari, Jayne Kihara and Charity Kathambi have also been declared MPs-elect for Bahati, Gilgil, Naivasha and Njoro respectively.
Wavinya Ndeti
Former Transport CAS Wavinya Ndeti is the governor-elect of Machakos County following her second stab at the seat.
Wavinya, who contested on a Wiper Party ticket, bagged 226,609 votes with former State House Chief of Staff, Nzioka Waita coming in second with 129,181 votes.
UDA Chairman Johnson Muthama performed decimally, as he only earned the support of 37,980 Machakos County Residents.
The declaration comes just a day after Waita, on Friday, August 12, conceded defeat. Wavinya had received support from the outgoing governor Alfred Mutua, who stated that the county would be safest in her hands.
