Is Lamu set to get its first female Governor? Or more pertinently, is Lamu ready for a female Governor?
In a world known for its strict cultural heritage and practices, and a community that has for a long been uneasy about the child education and women empowerment, one fierce woman emerges.
Umra Omar, although born in Mombasa on June 15, 1983, identifies herself with Tchundwa village in Pate Island, Lamu county where she spent most of her time growing up.
From the Bajuni community, dominant in Lamu, and known for previously not considering women for leadership positions except being housewives and babysitters, a wind of change is blowing and Umra is fanning t even more.
A multi-degree holder, the fiery woman has thrown her hat into the ring as she delves into the murky world of politics.
Umra is determined to break the barriers and prove women are no longer to be held back by ‘outdated’ practices.
She will be battling it out out with incumbent Fahim Twaha and former Governor Issa Timamy, two of the most talked about politicians in the county.
However, this does not scare her. She said no political seat is reserved for men.
“In 2022, we are creating an all inclusive government. A government that is about our economy and one that will put aside tribalism, the dynasty mentality and tokenism,” Umra said in an interview at Fort Jesus in Mombasa. She was meeting Lamu natives living in Mombasa.
Umra said Lamu is a rich county but has been impoverished by poor politics.
“A woman-led administration will straighten things out and take Lamu to its rightful place.
“We will ensure health services, where women suffer the most, are brought to the doorstep of the households. We want a Lamu where people will want to leave Mombasa to go stay in Lamu,” she added.
Described as a humanitarian and community conservation strategist, she is the founder of Safari Doctors, an organization that delivers primary medical care and health education by boat, air, and land to communities in Lamu.
It currently reaching over 2,000 patients monthly across 24 remote villages.
In 2016, Umra was named a Top 10 CNN Hero and UN in Kenya Person of the Year in 2017 along with the rest of the Safari Doctors team.
The mother of two also won an Africa Leaders 4 Change award and featured in Business Daily’s Top40Under40 Women list in 2017.
In 2019, she was among three finalists for the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award.
She is a 2019-2020 Aurora Forum Goodwill Ambassador and a 2019-2023 World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
Umra is also part of the Western Indian Ocean Conservation Leadership Initiative, a Segal Family Foundation Africa Visionary Fellow, and was recognized as a Real Life Hero by the United Nations during the 2020 World Humanitarian Day and most recently as Kenyan National Hero on National Heroes’ Day in October 2020.
“If we can give free medical services throughout Lamu county for seven years, what will we do if we take control of the leadership of Lamu county government?” she posed.
She is seeking the position on the UDA ticket, which she said she chose because of "its commitment to women leadership".
Out of at least 23 people seeking the governorship across the country on the UDA ticket, 19 are women.
“Women in leadership is very critical, especially in this 21st century. We are seeing it happening in Tanzania, the US, the Arabian states, and all over the world. Why are we still stuck in the past?”Umra posed.
“The way you let your house be managed by a woman is the same way the Lamu house would be left to be managed be a woman,” she added.
Umra and her sister spent their early childhood in Tchundwa, on Lamu Island, while her mother went to the US for higher education.
For the duration of her primary school years, Umra studied in Nairobi. She was admitted to the UWC Atlantic College in Wales at age 17.
After completing the International Baccalaureate programme at the Atlantic College, Umra was awarded a scholarship to attend Oberlin College in Ohio, the US.
She completed her first degree in neuroscience and psychology, and pursued her master's degree in Social Justice: Intercultural relations at the World Learning Institute in Vermont.
“Education, health and economy is our career. We are striving to take Lamu global.
“We have been promised Canaan and Dubai. This time, we are pledging a better Lamu,” said Umra.
So far, Lamu has done well but not to expected standards.
“We have seen a travelling leadership in Lamu. Our monies have more often than not been going to other counties. We now want our monies to remain in Lamu,” she noted.
She would like to see schools in Lamu upgraded or more built instead of learners getting scholarship to go study elsewhere.
She also noted having NHIF paid for by the administration makes little sense if one has to travel to Mombasa to use that the cover.
“Build more hospitals and upgrade the existing ones in Lamu instead,” she said.
Abdulsalaam Kassim, a UDA member, said Umra is a testimony that the Bajuni are now changing with time and are encouraging women to get in to unchartered waters.
“This is a message for the people to understand that the Coast region does not disenfranchise the women,” Kassim said.
Mohamed ‘Tenge’ Salim, UDA Coast regional coordinator, said the party wants to empower women to change the lives of the common man.
Coast Interfaith Council of Cleric’s Lamu chair Mohamed Abdulkadir said the county is ready for a woman governor.
The cleric said a woman is like the whole community.
“Educate a woman and you educate the whole community,” Abdulkadir said.
He said though there are cultural issues at play, times are changing and people are changing with the time.
“As religious leaders, as long as she remains decent in her dressing and respects religion, there is no problem even if she becomes governor,” Abdulkadir said.
Abulrahman Abdalla, a resident of Lamu, said although it is still difficult to change the stereotype in the county, time has come to try a woman leader.
“It is still difficult because people keep on singing the same names day in day out. But what have they done for Lamu? It is better we try out a woman leader and see where she will take us,” Abdalla said.
Umar’s father, Omar Mbwana, a former nominated MP, is one of the founders of the Lamu Museum.
Her mother is a retired computer scientist and project manager. She is the founder of Ikhlas Foundation.
Umra's sister is a former Trade and Tourism executive and an environmentalist who resigned in protest of the Lamu Coal Project.
Her youngest sister is a new media professional.
In 2016 Umra founded a small private pre-school to serve families who live on the island.
