Kenya Decides:  Women Emerge Victorious as Governors Following August 2022 Elections

Seven women have been declared winners in the August 2022 gubernatorial race across the country, a record number compared to previous elections.

Results from Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared seven women as winners as vote counting continued into its fourth day.

Women have also won six of the 290 seats in the incoming National Assembly so far.

Here is a list of those who have so far been declared winners as governor.

• Gladys Wanga: Ms Wanga was declared winner for the post of Homa Bay county, after beating Evans Kidero. She secured 244,559 votes against 154,182. Her win makes her the first woman governor that the Nyanza region will have.

• Anne Waiguru: Ms Waiguru was declared the winner after defending her seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket, garnering 113,088 votes. This came after she beat the outgoing woman representative Wangui Ngirici who had 105, 677 votes.

• Wavinya Ndeti: Ms Ndeti was pronounced winner in the Machakos race after beating her competitor Nzioka Waita and other men who she competed against.

• Kawira Mwangaza: Ms Mwangaza contested for the position of Meru governor and won using an independent ticket. She had previously served the residents of Meru as a woman representative from 2017-2022 prior to her win.

• Susan Kihika: Former senator of Nakuru, Susan Kihika was declared the winner in the August 2022 race for Nakuru governor. Ms. Kihika garnered 440,797 votes against incumbent governor Lee Kinyanjui who polled 225,351 votes. She thanked Nakuru residents for believing in her and promised to serve them diligently.

• Fatuma Achani: Ms Achani was elected Kwale governor in the August 9 polls, after serving as governor Salim Mvuria’s deputy. Her win makes her the first woman governor from the Coast region.

• Cecily Mbarire: Former MP in Embu county, Cecily Mbarire was declared governor elect, becoming the first woman governor in Embu.

Ahead of the elections, dozens of female candidates were attacked during campaigns, according to the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association. The rise in female governors from Tuesday’s vote is a small but significant improvement over 2017, when three women were elected as governors.