Kirinyaga County Governor, Anne Waiguru has been declared ripe for a national leadership position come the next general elections.
Waiguru, who is also the Council of Governors (COG) Chairperson, has been declared as a progressive and transformative leader whose track record in Kirinyaga County has been tremendous.
Speaking during the G7 Strategy activation in Kirinyaga County on Saturday, six governors, deputy governors, county women representatives and top government officials endorsed Waiguru’s suitability for a higher position owing to her good work in the county and at the helm of COG.
The leaders observed that her record performance as governor should be a springboard for her to rise to the national politics.
Homa Bay Governor, Gladys Wanga observed that Waiguru has selflessly served her county and once done she should go and serve at the national level in any capacity. “She is a strong women fit for any position.” Said Wanga, noting that the G7 colleagues had learnt a lot from Waiguru and her legacy in Kirinyaga will live forever.
Her sentiments were echoed by Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti who said she would go and replicate some of Kirinyaga’s projects in her county.
“Governor Anne Waiguru is a worker. We are here to learn and sharpen each other. We have just seen the Kerugoya Hospital which I got to witness its initiation and I am happy that it was completed and well equipped. The standards in that hospital are only equitable to those in some of the biggest hospitals in this country” said Wavinya, noting that there is a lot that needs to be done for Kenya and Waiguru fits the bill.
“Waiguru broke the glass ceiling as the first women governor in Kenya, and inspired us to vie for the gubernatorial seat, we are behind her as she continues to advocate for women leadership in the country.” Said Wavinya Ndeti.
Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani said that the governor is an excellent mentor who is a role model and has been champion of women leadership. She said that she has been able to overcome many challenges that women leaders face thus an encouragement to many more women.
She also said that Waiguru has done well as Chair of COG and asked her to move to the serve the national level once done with leading Kirinyaga County. “We are saying that Governor Anne Waiguru has come of age for national politics.” Said Achani.
The Cabinet Secretary for National Defense Tuya said that only a woman can do the kind of work that governor Waiguru has done in Kirinyaga.
She said that the G7 strategy was the right tool for ensuring that more women are elected to leadership positions.
The women representatives also lauded Waiguru’s development scorecard and said that the rest of the women will stand on her shoulders. “We have seen the good work that Waiguru has done and we are saying the future is women. Come 2032 and the President shall be a woman and Waiguru will be there,” said Nyandarua County Women Representative, Faith Gitau.
Her sentiments were echoed by women reps Esther Pasaris and Samburu County MP Lesuuda who referenced Waiguru’s innovations at the national government including Huduma Centers.
Ida Odinga who is the patron of G7 said that she was impressed by governor Waiguru’s development record and too said she was fit to go to the next level.
She said that G7 was committed to supporting women vie for political seats with the aim of reaching and surpassing the two third gender thresh hold.
Council of Governor’s Deputy Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi and Muranga’a County Governor Irungu Kang’ata pledged their strategic partnership in championing for the G7 movement. Kang’ata said that he had learnt a lot from Kirinyaga County citing his smart cities program which he borrowed from Waiguru’s cabro project as well as the healthcare program.
Thanking her colleagues for recognizing her good work, Waiguru observed that women have been underrepresented in positions of power for a long time and the G7 movement was aimed at providing framework to guide collective efforts in realizing the true potential of devolution in Kenya while amplifying the voices of women in leadership.
She said that the country has witnessed tremendous improvement in service delivery in key development sectors, especially in County Governments spearheaded by women leaders. She was able to take her colleagues to a field tour to some of her projects in the county.
“We must continue to create enabling spaces and hold the hands of aspiring women to access positions and thrive in them.”
