Prioritize on Women Empowerment ,Ngilu tells President Ruto

By Moses Muli

Published: March,7 2024 12:21 PM(EAT)

Former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has pleaded with President William Ruto to support women’s empowerment.

Ngilu told the President to help mobilize funds for women to empower them to leadership.

“President Ruto the best you can do is please help them (women) to mobilize resources and get to the villages, to ensure women can be empowered enough,” she said.

The former governor was speaking during the launch of the G7 Strategy by the Council of Governors at Safari Park in Nairobi.

Explaining further, Ngilu pointed out that women must increase their positions in leadership by starting at the grassroots level.

“We must make sure we increase the number of women. We should go to the grassroots, let us not leave it at the governor’s level. We will go to the grassroots and increase the number of women there,” she said.

Ngilu said the women identified will be trained, ensure they develop skills, build confidence in them and ensure that they break all barriers to increase the number of MCAs, MPs, governors and senators.

The former Kitui governor also challenged women to go for the presidential seat.

She urged women not to run away from the seat as Kenyans are looking forward to having a female president soon.

Ngilu also urged Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, who is also the Council of Governors chairperson, to push the President to ensure women are well represented.

“To Waiguru, be on the President’s case to ensure we have the numbers we deserve,” Ngilu said.

She urged women leaders to not only focus on increasing the number of elected women governors to 16, but 47.

She insisted that with women as governors, the president will not have to worry about service delivery and he will have time to focus on other pressing matters.

“We are talking about increasing women to 16, why not 47? Women will help the president and you will be free,” Ngilu said.

She also praised the women leaders including the seven female governors, urging them to continue with the good work.

“To women in leadership and especially governors. Shine, shine and shine for Kenya,” Ngilu added.

Ngilu in 1997, ventured above the political parapet to scratch at the highest and hardest of glass ceilings by becoming Kenya’s first female presidential candidate.

She ran for governor of Kitui county in the 2017 general election, beating incumbent Julius Malombe and becoming one of three elected women governors.

At the moment, there are seven women governors.

They are Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Cecily Mbarire (Embu), Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos), Kawira Mwangaza (Meru) and Susan Kihika (Nakuru).

During the 2017 elections, three women were elected as governors.

They were Joyce Laboso (now deceased) for Bomet, Anne Waiguru for Kirinyaga and Charity Ngilu for Kitui