Meet the "Hillary Clinton of Molo" - Maryann Njambi Mugo

Election bells are already ringing, for those politicians who never delivered on their pledges, they are having one heck of a time as they try to make sense of the next elections.

Some have had it hard with the nominations where 50 percent of the incumbent lost to new fresh blood and have opted to run as independent candidates in the upcoming August polls.

Though some have hit the ground running, literally, in Nakuru County Molo constituency specifically, the tides are against incumbent Jacob Macharia.

Macharia is facing an uncertain future after losing the Jubilee nomination ticket. Above that, there is a new aspirant in Molo who is already causing havoc in the constituency.

She has been burning midnight oil to outsmart her competitors in the highly contested constituencies in Flamingo County.

‘Hillary Clinton of Molo’ is the name she is famously referred to by the voters in Molo.

She has managed to outsmart all the aspirants by connecting with the people on the ground.

“When I left my well-paying job in 2016 in the private sector to join the murky world of politics, I did it out of a deep conviction, a calling. I have the people’s backing and we are just waiting for the D-day to make history which will transform the entire Molo constituency. It’s time we save the people from the jaws of corrupt and selfish leaders who have only enriched themselves as the people continue to suffer,” says Maryann.

The 33 year old Maryann is the co-founder and Director of Sauti Ya Jamii Programme, an International NGO that spearheads youth and women empowerment in Kenya. She is also a lover of justice and a trade expert in Sub Sahara Africa (SSA).

Maryann is praised by the youth in Molo based on her track record of work.

“I have been supporting the youth through programs that aim at eradicating poverty in informal sectors like jua-kali, table-banking and CBOs groups. I believe when elected I will be able to fully utilise the CDF to the benefit of people of Molo,” Maryann says.

Molo being an agricultural region, Maryann plans to modernise the current market and also create links for farmers to sell their produce effectively.

“I am in talks with various agricultural organisations both locally and internationally to ensure that farmers’ welfare is taken care of.

“Though Molo over the years bears a grim reminder of political violence, we must change this and it can only be done through dialogue which we plan to be hosting barazas but above all we shall elect community leaders from all the tribes in Molo as part of uniting not just the people of Molo but the entire Kenya. CDF funds will be utilised across wards without biases,” adds Maryann.

Maryann plans to ensure all the persons with disability (PWDs) and the aged in Molo are taken catered for.

“For a very long time the PWDs have been marginalised but this has to change and I plan to set aside a special fund for them which will help them access services like education and health,” Maryann advises.

Maryann plans to roll out a number of education programs targeting the people of Molo.

“The schools in Molo need a facelift in terms of infrastructure. I also plan to lobby for more teachers to be deployed in Molo as the teacher pupil ratio is wanting. Apart from that we’ll ensure that we have ICT centres aimed at equipping students with relevant IT skills, after all, we are living in a digital era” Maryann concludes.

Maryann has held many leadership positions. She served in the National Executive Committee of Chama Cha Uzalendo (a political party in Kenya) as the National Assistant Treasurer from 2009 to 2012. Throughout her tenure, the party was lauded for ensuring that its books of account were clean and up to date by the party’s National Governing Council.

During the party’s recruitment drive in 2012, she led a team that achieved targets in fourteen out of the twenty four counties where recruitment took place.

Maryann Njambi was the Secretary General of the Kenyatta University Students Association (KUSA), 2006/2007 where she spearheaded the review of the students association’s constitution, a major milestone in her leadership. In addition, she served as a member of the University Council for fourteen months as the representative of student’s affairs.