Chiggai: Women must do more than fill leadership rooms

More than 300 women gathered in Nairobi for a forum that challenged women in leadership to influence decisions rather than simply occupy positions.

Presidential Advisor on Women’s Rights Harriette Chiggai told the gathering that women should not be brought into leadership spaces merely to change the appearance of a room but should use their positions to shape decisions.

“A woman should not simply be invited into the room to make the room look different. She should be able to contribute to the conversation, influence the decision and have the confidence to say, ‘This is what I think. This is what I know. This is what I bring,’” Chiggai told the gathering.

Chiggai spoke on Saturday during the second edition of the Suhba Series: Becoming Her, which brought together women from business, diplomacy, corporate leadership, entrepreneurship and other sectors.

The turnout was nearly double the 160 women who attended the inaugural edition, pointing to growing demand for spaces where women can build relationships and exchange ideas beyond conventional professional networking.

Former Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed, who delivered the keynote address, urged women to view personal and professional growth as an ongoing process.

“Becoming is not about arriving at a perfect version of yourself. It is about having the courage to keep growing, to keep learning and to use every season of your journey to create possibility, not only for yourself, but for the women who will come after you,” Mohamed said.

The event brought together senior executives, entrepreneurs, diplomats, professionals and creatives for discussions on leadership, identity, financial independence, resilience, purpose and career reinvention.

Chief Consumer Business Officer at Safaricom Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Africa Leadership and Dialogue Institute President and CEO Julie Gichuru and Iktifaa Shari'ah-Compliant Investment House CEO Sumayya Hassan were among the speakers.

Institute of Human Resource Management Executive Director and Council Secretary Quresha Abdullahi challenged women to measure their leadership by the opportunities they create for others.

“Let another woman’s progress be part of the evidence of your leadership,” Abdullahi observed.

The gathering was founded by communications strategist and entrepreneur Farida Idris and produced by FID & Co.

Idris said the growth in attendance showed that women were seeking connections that could extend beyond the event itself.

“Suhba is about creating a room where women don’t just listen to extraordinary stories, they recognise themselves in those stories, share their own and leave having made connections that can extend far beyond the afternoon,” Idris explained.

The event also featured networking activities, music, beauty experiences and a high-tea setting.

Organisers want to build the forum into a community where women across generations and industries can mentor one another, develop business opportunities and create opportunities for others.

For Idris, the value of the gathering should be measured by what participants do after leaving the event.

“A beautiful room gets people talking. A meaningful conversation gets them thinking. But the real magic is what happens afterwards, the partnerships formed, the doors opened and the women who leave inspired to pursue something bigger,” she added.