State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action PS Anne Wang’ombe has urged women leaders to take the lead in advocating for the inclusion of women in politics. Speaking during a regional dialogue on women’s leadership in Africa at a Nairobi hotel, the PS emphasized that true leadership involves building a team and mentoring others to drive progress.
“Today’s dialogue comes at an opportune time when we have a favorable political and social environment for the meaningful participation of women and girls in leadership,” she said. Wang’ombe highlighted the importance of establishing a relationship between senior women leaders and their emerging young counterparts, saying, “We have an opportunity to break the barriers of culture and hierarchical structures, and understand the humanistic experiences of every woman leader.” Her speech was delivered by Winnie Kananu Meeme, Assistant Director at the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action.
The event gathered 45 participants from eight African countries: Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Notable attendees included Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Africa Executive Director Martha Muhwezi, Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA) Programme Manager Josephine Mwangi, African Women’s Development and Communication Network representative Lilian Ndinda, and university student leaders.
FAWE Africa Deputy Executive Director and Head of Programmes Teresa Omondi-Adeitan underscored the vital role of women in leadership across Africa, praising Kenya’s significant contributions in this area. She called on her peers to commit to nurturing women’s leadership throughout the continent through monitoring and action plans.
Elachi delivered an impassioned speech on the challenges women encounter in political spheres, sharing her journey and recounting the obstacles she overcame to reach her position. “Every setback is a setup for a comeback,” she said, inspiring many attendees.
Meeme stressed the necessity of women in leadership, asserting, “Their voices are vital in shaping policies that impact millions. Women are not just participants; we are change-makers.”
