Kenya's pioneer female governors and their journey to office

The gender gap in Kenya’s political leadership ranks still remains huge with few women making it to the list of elected leaders.

In 2017, history was made when three women were elected as Governors in the August General elections.

Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru, Kitui's Charity Ngilu for Kitui and the former Bomet governor the late Joyce Laboso were the only female candidates who were elected as county bosses of all the 47 counties.

Nairobi Governor Ann Kannau joined the list in 2021 after she succeeded former governor Mike sonko following his impeachment.

Waiguru

In 2001, armed with a master’s degree in economic policy from the University of Nairobi, Waiguru worked at Transparency International-Kenya as an intern.

In 2004 she was coordinating the East African chapter of the World Bank’s parliamentary network (PnoWB).

In 2006, Waiguru was seconded to the Government as a consultant on governance in the Treasury.

She later became the head of governance at the Treasury and the director of Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) In 2011.

In April 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated Waiguru as Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning.

In September 2015, the Director of public prosecutions asked Waiguru to record a statement over the disappearance of Sh791 million from the Ministry of Devolution and Planning.

In November 2015, she resigned as the CS citing the need to focus on her health.

In August 2017, was elected Kirinyaga governor on a Jubilee party ticket

The Kirinyaga Governor officially joined the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a party allied to Deputy President William Ruto, in October last year.

She is seeking to defend her seat in the upcoming August polls on a UDA ticket.

Ngilu

Charity Kaluki Ngilu is Kitui’s second County Governor. 

After graduating in 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in Leadership and Management from St. Paul’s University, she worked as a secretary for the Central Bank of Kenya before she ventured into business.

Her journey in politics started in 1992 when she was elected as Kitui Central Member of Parliament.

In 1997, Ngilu ran for the presidency.

She and environmentalist Wangari Maathai became the first-ever female presidential candidates in Kenya but they both lost.

In 2002, Ngilu was re-elected as MP  and was appointed Health Minister by then-President Mwai Kibaki.

In October 2007, she announced her support for ODM leader Raila Odinga who was vying for the presidency for the second time. She retained her Kitui Central parliamentary seat.

The disputed presidential results saw the formation of a grand coalition government with Ngilu being appointed Minister of Water and Irrigation.

In 2013, Ngilu vied for Kitui senatorial seat but lost to CORD candidate.

She had vied on a Jubilee ticket that was led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy Wiliam Ruto.

Uhuru appointed her as Cabinet Secretary for Land, Housing and Urban Development in the same year.

In November 2013, the 11th Kenyan parliament debated about her conduct as the CS for Lands.

The parliament was acting on recommendations by a special committee whose mandate was to investigate how she appointed a new director-general at her ministry without involving the parliament as provided for in the constitution of Kenya.

Ngilu, in 2015, resigned following corruption allegations.

In the August 2017 general elections, Ngilu won the Kitui gubernatorial seat.

She is seeking re-election in the August polls.

Kananu

Ann Kananu joined City Hall in April 2018, where she served as the Disaster Management chief officer for three years.

On January 6, 2020, Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko nominated her to be his deputy.

Following Sonko’s impeachment on December 17, 2020, Kananu was on January 15, 2021, vetted and her name was approved by MCAs for the deputy governor seat.

On the same day, she was sworn in as the first female Deputy Governor of Nairobi.

On November 16, 2021, she took oath as Nairobi’s first female Governor and is seeking to defend her seat on the August 9, polls.

Edited by B. Marita