Being female, educated doesn't make one fit for Gender docket

Hanna Wendot Cheptumo Nominee for Cabinet Secretary, Gender, Culture, The Arts and Heritage during her vetting process before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments at County Hall, Nairobi on April 14, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

We may need to rethink our approach to appointments to the public service and especially in critical dockets such as Gender if we are to make progress as a country. Being a woman should not be enough. Academic qualifications may not be enough. Passion, empathy and a deep understanding of the thematic areas in the docket is what will count because it is their words and perception that will not only shape public opinion but, most importantly, influence policy.

Since the beginning of this year, we have lost over 120 women and girls to femicide. Each of these girls and women had a name, a story, a background unique only to themselves. But one thing we all should agree on is they did not deserve to die in the manner that they did, for whatever reason.