Anne Waiguru, Joyce Laboso and Charity Ngilu have made history after they were sworn in as Kenya’s first female female governors.
Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Laboso (Boment) and Ngilu (Kitui) made history with their victories after the general election on August 8th to become the first batch of female governors in the country, after no single woman was elected as governor in 2013 polls.
In her speech after taking oath of office on Tuesday, Waiguru said she will immediately embark on a transformation journey in Kirinyaga.
”What our critics fail to understand is that in the history of politics the world over, whenever the people want change, absolutely nothing can stop it from happening,” she said.
“It happened in the US in 2008 when Barrack Obama was elected the first black President and in Liberia when Ellen Johnson was voted the first woman president.” Waiguru said during the inauguration ceremony attended by Deputy President William Ruto.
The Jubilee Governor trounced her main rival Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua and incumbent Joseph Ndathi to clinch the coveted seat.
Hundreds of miles away, former National Assembly deputy speaker Joyce Laboso also took oath of office as the new Bomet governor, after beating incumbent Isaac Ruto of Chama Cha Mashinani to clinch the seat.
Laboso promised to deliver on her promises and vowed to replicate the faith Bomet residents had shown to her. President Uhuru, who attended the ceremony congratulated Bomet residents for giving a woman a chance to serve as their governor.
“To the people of Bomet, during the last General Election you said that you do not want things to continue being done the way they were being done. You said a big No to the status quo and overwhelmingly said things must change and here, I tell you I have heard you loud and clear,” said Laboso.
Nark’s Charity Ngilu also took oath of office as the new Kitui governor. Ngilu trounced David Musila and incumbent Julius Malombe to win the seat.
In her acceptance speech, Ngilu promised hospitals will be revamped, clean water provided and the agriculture sector improved in the first 100 days in office.
