2 Women Leaders Who Stood Out in 2023
Ever since devolution began during the tenure of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, female leaders have been diligently striving to assert their influence, establish their presence, and secure an equitable portion of the country’s resources and opportunities.
The significant increase in the number of female governors, rising from three to seven, alongside their impressive management of key institutions, emphasized the remarkable impact of women in leadership roles throughout this year.
Here are two female leaders who truly exceeded expectations in their responsibilities this year.
Gladys Wanga
Ever since assuming leadership in Homa Bay County, Governor Gladys Wanga has become a pioneering figure in providing excellent services, consistently being recognized as one of the top-performing governors nationwide.
In late October, Infotrak, a research firm, designated her as the most accomplished female Governor and the second-best overall, sharing the same ranking as the highest-ranking governor, George Natembeya, who achieved a score of 70 percent.
The County Track Survey, conducted from July to September, involved polling 58,748 individuals representing all 47 counties.
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One month prior, the Governor was recognized as one of the top five county leaders for progress in development, joining Cecily Mbarire (Embu), Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a), Abdi Hassan Guyo (Isiolo), and Susan Kihika on the list.
She received additional acknowledgment for her accomplishments when President Ruto bestowed upon her the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.), the top civilian accolade, at the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations. This recognition came despite her unwavering support for former Prime Minister and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Rebecca Miano
In October, President William Ruto made changes to his Cabinet, transferring CS Rebecca Miano from the East African Community Ministry to Trade, replacing the divisive figure of Moses Kuria.
Kuria was beginning to pose a political challenge to President Ruto and was consistently excluded from important cross-border trade gatherings.
In July, a senior US Trade Representative, while in Kenya for important discussions, chose not to meet with Kuria, reportedly due to his unrestrained outspoken behavior and rude criticism on social media aimed at opposition figures, government critics, and the media.
Later, Tai informed reporters that the Kenyan government had knowledge of why she chose not to meet with CS Kuria.
Kuria was excluded from trade discussions when President William Ruto led a Kenyan group to the United States for the US-Africa Business Roundtable in September. During this event, Adan Mohamed, a Council of Economic Advisors member and former Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary, was introduced as Kenya’s Trade Minister.
Miano’s move to the Trade department was widely seen as an advancement due to the strategic importance of the Ministry.
In the span of a month, CS Miano gathered 100 Japanese CEOs for an event in Japan. During this occasion, she sealed an agreement with Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, to commence an Industrial Policy Dialogue (IPD).
The deal will serve as a gateway allowing Japanese investors to set up companies in Kenya and create much-needed jobs.
2 Women Leaders Who Stood Out in 2023
