Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has declared her intention to run for the presidency come 2032, setting her sight on succeeding President William after his re-election in 2027.
Waiguru announced her ambition on Tuesday, days after declaring that she would seek to become Ruto’s running mate in the coming general elections.
“Anne Waiguru will be on the ballot for the President of Kenya in 2032, Take that to the bank,” She declared.
Waiguru insists that she has all the capabilities, including mobilization skills and finances to run a campaign and thus her candidature should not be dismissed merely for being a woman.
According to the two – time governor, who has also served as cabinet secretary, her experience in the political corridors and public service give her the best bet to deputize President Ruto as she strategizes to seek the top office in 2032.
Speaking at a high – level women leaders strategic meeting in Nairobi convened by the Council of Governors G7 leadership – an outfit of women governors championing growth and an increase in women leaders in Government and elective seats.
The Kirinyaga Governor, insisted on the need for women to push their political agenda and not fear, saying that only their presence at the table will ensure their aspirations are taken seriously.
In the high – level meeting that brought together women in senior leadership positions, the often-ignored quest for women supporting their own was discussed at length as they partly agreed to have failed each other in raising the bar for other women.
The women leadership, which included Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau and Homabay governor Gladys Wanga also called on women MPs to rally support for two bills – one in the national assembly and another in the senate – that advocate for a top up of seats until gender parity is achieved.
Though the bills may lead to a rise in the number of parliamentarians, the women leaders believe it is one of the surest ways of achieving the two – thirds gender rule which has been elusive, 16 years after the passage of the 2010 constitution.
The bill in the senate is owned by the leader of majority Aaron Cheruiyot, while the one in the National Assembly is co -authored by MPs Uasin Gishu’s woman representative Gladys Shollei, Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi and Laikipia woman representative Jane Kagiri
In the women who spoke shared their leadership journeys and the challenges they endured to reach their current heights, hoping to inspire others to walk the same path and achieve similar success.
As a remedy, there has been a clarion call for a fund to support women leaders seeking positions, mostly elective, from MCA level to the country’s top seat, with the full realization that nothing in politics comes easily.
Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau says the President Ruto administration has pushed forth several key policies that support women in leadership. Those who spoke called on the government to do more and adopt a 50/50 approach for all government positions, similar to other African nations.
In fact, Governor Waiguru, pushing the women’s agenda, chided the government, saying that some of the current administration’s challenges would be arrested if more women were on the decision-making table.
For her part, Governor Wanga, while appreciating the progress made so far in fighting for women’s representation, noted that women in leadership had a choice: either to stand together and achieve their dream for representation, or take solo paths, and hang separately.
