WOMEN LEADERS TOLD TO ‘GRAB POWER ’ AHEAD OF 2027 POLLS AT JAMHURI AWARDS.

May 01, 2026

By Stella Ranji

7th March 2023.

Women leaders have been challenged to aggressively pursue elective positions in the 2027 General Election, with a strong message that political power is claimed through action, not granted.

The call dominated proceedings at the Jamhuri Kenya Leadership Awards 2026, held at the Swiss Lenana Mount Hotel, where influential women from across the country were honoured for excellence in leadership, governance, education, and community empowerment.

Speaking during the ceremony, Judith Wanza Kasyoka urged women to boldly step into competitive politics, noting that gender barriers remain deeply entrenched at the grassroots level.

“Power is grabbed, not given,” she said, recounting her victory over 11 male candidates to secure the Nuu Ward seat in Kitui County. Kasyoka, now serving her second term, remains the only elected female Member of County Assembly in the county.

Her sentiments were echoed through the recognition of Ruth Kuya, the sole elected female MCA in Turkana County, underscoring the persistent underrepresentation of women in elective politics across several regions.

Veteran politician Linah Jebii Kilimo delivered a powerful account of her journey into leadership, highlighting the cultural and societal barriers women often face. She reflected on fleeing home as a young girl to escape female genital mutilation, an experience that later shaped her advocacy and legislative efforts against the practice.

Kilimo credited her early inspiration to a teacher who encouraged her to aspire to leadership, referencing trailblazer Effie Owuor. She would later rise to become a Cabinet minister under former President Mwai Kibaki and a key voice in gender rights.

Meanwhile, Mishi Mboko challenged women elected through affirmative action seats to seek direct constituency representation. Mboko, who was recognised as Outstanding MP of the Year for Governance and Good Leadership, recalled resistance within the Orange Democratic Movement when she first sought to transition from a Woman Representative role to contest a constituency seat.

Her eventual success, she noted, demonstrated that women can compete and win against male counterparts in open races.

Beyond politics, Anne Mbogo highlighted the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in empowering youth. She encouraged students to redefine academic success, stating that grades should not limit ambition.

“Let us change that grade E to stand for Excellence,” she said, after receiving the Outstanding Principal of the Year award for Institutional Growth and Innovation Leadership.

Other leaders honoured at the event included Josephine Ojiambo, Eve Obara, Charity Kathambi Chepkwony, Martha Wangari, Sarah Lekorere, Wanjiku Muhia, and Judith Pareno.

The awards ceremony, held on the eve of International Women's Day, celebrated the growing influence of women in leadership spaces while reinforcing the urgency of increasing female representation in elective politics ahead of 2027.

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