Women in Leadership focus on SDG Number 7 that focuses on clean energy.
The unfaltering efforts by women MPs in Kenya has caught the attention of the world in their deliberate actions to see the country achieve United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal number 7.
SDG 7 seeks to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote the investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology by the year 2030.
In different meetings, the more than 30 women MPs have transformed the lives of tens of homes by giving them an alternative fuel source that is clean and environmentally friendly.
The most recent was by Kandara MP Alice Wahome and Maragua MP Mary Wamaua who gave 100 gas cylinders to residents of their respective constituencies in Muranga County.
Speaking when she gave out the 100 gas cylinders MP Wamaua said no man would hate if their wife cooked with clean energy, and his family enjoyed fast meal preparation time.
For many years, the women living in Muranga have entered forests to cut firewood from trees and bushes used to light open fires that expose them to dangerous gases and sometimes burning their children and animals.
The women also result to use of charcoal burned from trees leading to high levels of deforestation, destruction of the environment that the world is grappling to reverse through different affordable innovations and sustainable policy interventions.
The more than 30 women MPs are under a group known as ‘Inua Mama, Jenga Taifa’ that is led by Kandara MP Alice Wahome. The literal translation of the group’s name is ‘Lift the woman, and build the nation’.
“We must uplift the lives of women because they carry the burden of the family in so many ways. We must, however, remember the man is the head and the woman the neck,” said MP Alice.
MP Wahome, who is also a lawyer, in all her speeches emphasizes the very essence of the woman in the society, urging fellow women leaders to uplift the lives of the youth, persons with disabilities and women.
Inua Mama members, who are all elected or nominated in Kenya, visit the interior places of their respective constituencies and empower shoe shiners, market traders, bodaboda riders, local investment groups and others by giving them sound systems, water storage tanks, gas cylinders, road safety gear, sports equipment and cheques among others.
In the last few months, they have held similar meetings in Garissa, Tana River, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nairobi, Meru, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Laikipia, Muranga, Nakuru, Njoro and have planned meetings in Nyandarua and Naivasha.
Some of the members include: Aisha Jumwa Malindi MP, Liza Chelule Nakuru MP, Jane Kihara Naivasha MP, Janet Sitienei Turbo MP, Charity Kathambi Njoro MP, Sophia Abdi Noor Ijara MP, Rahab Mukami Nyeri MP, Beatrice Kones Bomet East MP, Lekorere Sara Laikipia North, Fatuma Achani Deputy Governor Kwale, Susan Kihika Senator Nakuru, Prof Margaret Kamar Uasin Gishu Senator and EALA Florence Jematia.
County MPs Joyce Emanikor (Turkana), Florence Bore (Kericho), Gladys Shollei (Uasin Gishu), Wangui Ngirici (Kirinyaga), Cate Waruguru (Laikipia), Joyce Korir (Bomet), Faith Gitau (Nyandarua), Rehema Hassan (Tana River), Jane Chebaibai (Elgeyo Marakwet), Beatrice Nkatha (Tharaka Nithi), Rahab Mukami (Nyeri), Janet Nangabo (Trans Nzoia), Rehema Jaldesa (Isiolo), Anab Gure (Garissa), Soipan Tuya (Narok), Catherine Wambilianga (Bungoma), Lilian Tomitom (West Pokot), Haika Mizighi (Taita Taveta) and Tecla Tum (Nandi).
Nominated leaders are Halima Mucheke, Alice Milgo, Naomi Waqo, Millicent Omanga, Nasri Ibrahim, Mary Seneta, Iman Falhada and Christine Zawadi.
Women in Leadership must make a mark, no matter how small, since they understand perfectly well the immense pressures and needs of everyday life on families and communities.
