Her husband is a straight-shooting and an abrasive politician.
For this reason, many people, including Governor Cornel Rasanga's supporters and key staff, avoid approaching him directly.
Instead, they seek out his wife, Rosella Njaya Rasanga. The soft-spoken former journalist and PR person was not known to many Siaya residents until the 2013 elections that thrust her into the limelight.
One incident endeared her to the supporters of her husband who had just received the ODM party ticket for the election.
ODM leader Raila Odinga has a home in Bondo, Siaya.
"The truth is, not many people were happy with the party's decision to pick him without a primary. After he presented his nomination papers to the IEBC in Siaya town, our convoy ran into very hostile crowds," Rosella told the Star.
Back at the governor's Segere residence, supporters who had defected from a rival camp pitched camp at the home.
"They were not showing any signs of leaving. They were not saying anything apart from demanding to be addressed by the aspiring governor," she said in an exclusive interview at her home on Monday last week.
Going by earlier events of the day, Rosella said she decided to move very fast. "I had to use my public relations skills to manage the fluid situation," she said.
She urged the rowdy supporters to pick a representative.
"I would then arrange a meeting between their representative and the governor," Rosella said.
She said she was afraid the governor, in his characteristic way, would dismiss the group. "Doing so would completely mess up the campaign when our efforts needed no disruption," she said.
She first met her husband before meeting the supporters' representative.
Subsequently, talks were arranged and a deal sealed. "Moving forward, the campaign was smooth and by the grace of God we triumphed," she said. Rosella has been the bridge between the county staff and the governor on a number of awkward occasions.
"It is his manner to tell it like it is, but as I found out in politics this can be so disastrous," she said.
And for eight years with her husband as governor, Rosella has been instrumental, working behind the scenes to help the governor deliver on his mandate.
"As a wife and a mother, I do my part on the home front to ensure the governor is at peace with himself so he can concentrate on serving the people who elected him with minimal distraction," she said.
When the mother of seven isn't helping her children, her husband or working on her community projects, she likes to work on their farm.
She takes part in community projects that have created a huge impact and eased social problems.
"There are a myriad of challenges facing our people. A number may not necessarily be handled by the governor. Some people just need a listening ear and as a mother and a unifying figure, I step in whenever challenges emerge," Rosella said.
Her focus is on women and children.
"Violence and all kinds of abuse of women and children greatly touch me and we seek to empower them," Rosella said.
She came up with a project called Smart Start Siaya and she is the patron of the initiative to champion the affairs of children and women.
"We often build roads and other development projects, but we forget to focus on the early development of a child that is very critical for all children and their mothers," Rosella said.
The project focuses on early childhood development.
This helps children survive and thrive, transforming health and human potential in line with WHO recommendations.
She said children, from the moment of conception, require safety and security and a friendly environment. That includes good nutrition and nurturing.
"It is a proven fact that children who receive nurturing from conception to age three develop better brains and can realise their full potential in life," Rosella said.
A multi-sectoral committee brings together departments of health, agriculture, civil registration, education and national government administration officers to mainstream early childhood development in their dockets. She is the coordinator.
"We use the committee to advocate for exclusive breastfeeding, immunisation, good nutrition, safety and security of children and mothers," she said.
The initiative ensures that no child misses out on registration at birth. Her committee also identified NGOs that work on women and children's issues in the county and they work together in partnerships.
"We have also trained members of the executive and the assembly on the importance of policies and frameworks supporting women's empowerment and championing child rights," Rosella said.
The office of the governor's wife has no defined role, nor is it funded by the county government.
"As an influencer, a leader and change agent, I use my title to mobilise resources through proposals to donors willing to support our initiatives. That's how we fund our activities."
Through her intervention, health facilities within the county are integrating nurturing care messages into their work plans and each hospital has a playground.
"Children need space to play since they learn through play. We are asking the department of Works to ensure buildings are constructed with children in mind and building plans must have play areas," the governor's wife said.
Her committee is pushing the county to ensure all 30 wards have at least one children's park.
Rosella is a former public relations practitioner with extensive experience in government communications. She worked for the Kenya News Agency and was Siaya county information officer before her husband became governor.
With her history in public service, she has used her platform as the governor's wife to spearhead initiatives to help the under-served.
She also champions the Wadagi Initiative that promotes maternal and newborn health by encouraging women to give birth in hospitals.
Rosella also leads the distribution of free pads to schoolgirls through the A Million Plus Pads, a mentorship programme for adolescent girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
As an ambassador and patron of Early Childhood Development Programmes, Rosella Rasanga is committed to increasing investment, fostering partnerships, and promoting ECE in rural areas.
(Edited by V. Graham)
