Esther Waringa: Kenya is ready for a woman president

Let us talk about women in governance and political leadership. 

Women’s participation in political leadership helps advance gender equality. Research indicates that whether a legislator is male or female has a distinct impact on their policy priorities. Gender mainstreaming in all sectors of development is a strategic approach that integrates a gender lens in policy making and sustainable development, can help governments achieve more equitable outcomes.

How did you get started in this profession? Is this what you always wanted to do?

Governance isn’t my profession. I am a strategist by profession, but when I was working with United Nations on marginalized communities in Kenya, South Sudan and Africa, I always asked myself why some people would live in poverty while we have systems of government that would facilitate equitable distribution of all resources like food, water, education, energy, health etc. This made me to desire to be in a position of policy formulation and implementation where these policies would favour everyone and give everyone an opportunity to enjoy Public services equally and equitably. Since then, Good Governance became my passion and my greatest desire. This is the reason I established Public Service Governance (PSG) to promote and implement all interventions possible that would be geared towards Good, Accountable, Responsible and Divine Governments. I tried doing this at the African Continental level, that earned me an award; The United Nations Distinguished African Woman Leadership Award, ( For promoting Good Governance in Africa and Selfless Service to humanity. 

Is Kenya ready for a woman president?

Yes Kenya is ready for a woman president. A woman president will be committed to deliver the government development agenda than to amass wealth for herself. A woman will govern the country like a mother. In realization of two-third gender rule, it is necessary that the country moves to elect a woman led government, a woman is a pivot under which communities growth and development revolves, it is in this regard that if a woman is empowered as the country’s president, change for better will be expected in various sectors of our economy this could be actualized by positioning a woman to be the sixth president of the Republic of Kenya. A woman is a mother to the nation, caregiver, symbol of peace, an agent of change, a woman is a pivot of productivity and growth and a woman has a special place in the heart of the God the Almighty.

Tell us about your experience as a presidential aspirant in the last election?

As a presidential aspirant in the last elections, I had both positive and negative experiences. I had an opportunity to engage with diverse communities in the country and get to know their social economic activities, their source of livelihoods their goals towards sustainable development in various regions. I gathered so much experience on elections, electoral processes, IEBC operationalization and how systems and structures of government on general elections work. I learnt that for one to make it to presidency, one must possess good communication and interpersonal skills, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, one must be moderate, slow to anger and self-controlled because you will meet all manner of people and not all are on your side, the power of self-governance in a presidential campaign process is key. This is where ultimate qualities of a leader are applied.

The negatives?

I experienced quite a hard time convincing people that giving voter’s money may not give us the leadership we want because everywhere we went in meetings voters expected kickbacks away for the necessary and obligated financial responsibilities like transport, food, materials. I learnt that we need our people to more Patriotic to their country, more dedicated and less money centered when it comes to making important decisions like in a process that would determine the next country’s leadership it should be a process that upholds high integrity, accountability and transparency, capacity to deliver and a commitment by the candidate to selflessly serve the people. Much needs to be done. We remain committed to transform our processes of birthing leadership in the coming future.

You are the founder of Public Service governance, what does your role entail?

Public Service Governance (PSG) is an Institution that takes full responsibility to facilitate good, Accountable, Responsible, Peaceful and Divine Governance. PSG is purposing to ensure that all Public Service Institutions are strengthened to facilitate efficiency and effective service delivery. Everyone needs water, food, energy, good health, education and many more services. This can only be achieved if Public service institutions are enabled and the right leadership is in place and very clear with its mandate. In PSG we say service to humanity is service to God the Almighty. So we serve with all dedication and commitment. My role is to ensure that I steer the organization to the right direction towards realization of its key mandate towards, good, accountable, responsible, peaceful and divine leadership. I do so much towards networking, establishing partnerships, oversight of programs and projects, ensuring proper staffing and effective and efficient delivery, resource mobilization and growth and development of the organization including establishing international relations that will steer the organization agenda forward.

Tell us about your proudest moments as a woman in governance.

The proudest moment is when we hear that every woman is able to realize and access the very basic needs for her family, community and country. The pride of a woman in governance is when a woman is able to govern to a level of fulfilling every developmental obligation that will enable country’s citizens enjoy to live in their country. The proudest is when a woman is able to unite a Nation to live like one family under God enjoying all resources, love for one another and enjoying sustainable peace, cohesion and integration. When she is able to facilitate everyone to live for the sake of one another to fight corruption, hatred, tribalism, ethnic division which equally reduces the gap between the rich and the poor.