Lillian Aluanga
20 April 2008
Nairobi — When Dr Naomi Shaaban declared her interest in the Taveta parliamentary seat in 2002, a group of elders sought audience with her mother.
Their message was simple. They wanted Shaaban to step down in favour of a male candidate.
Riled by the blatant request, Shaaban's mother chose to back her daughter. She gave her blessings and sent her into the political ring. And Shaaban did not disappoint since she trounced her rivals, to scoop the seat on a Kanu ticket. She had tried her hand in politics two years earlier but had failed to capture the seat. Then area MP, Mr Basil Criticos, had fled the country after squatters seized his land, leading to a by-election. Shaaban had vied on a Ford-Kenya ticket but lost to Democratic Party's Jackson Mwalulu.
Last year, she survived the ODM wave that swept across Coast Province, earning a slot in the Grand Coalition Cabinet as Special Programmes minister.
Shabaan becomes one of seven women appointed to ministerial positions, the highest since independence.
Besides the seven ministers, six other women were appointed assistant ministers.
Other Cabinet ministers include Martha Karua (Justice and National Cohesion), Charity Ngilu (Water and Irrigation) and Beth Mugo, of Public Health and Sanitation.
Dr Sally Kosgei, a familiar name in the Kanu era, returns to Government as Higher Education, Science and Technology minister.
About five years ago, life for the Aldai MP and Alliance Girls High school alumnus was different. The former Head of Civil Service had just been bundled out of her job, barely three months after the exit of Kanu in the 2002 poll. As a teary Kosgei bid farewell to her boss, former President Moi, as he left for his Kabarak home to begin retirement, many thought they had seen the last of her.
The former Nakuru High School teacher had steadily risen through Government ranks, serving in various diplomatic appointments before her elevation to the plum position, where she replaced Dr Richard Leakey.
Just months after the Kanu regime crumbled, giving way to the vibrant rainbow coalition, Kosgei, who studied at the University of Nairobi, University of Dar-es-Salaam and Stanford University, handed over to Ambassador Francis Muthaura and retreated to a quiet life.
Save for a barrage of court cases hounding her, little was heard of the once powerful Civil Service boss, for a while.
But like a phantom rising from the ashes of political oblivion, Kosgei re-emerged in the 2007 General Election, sweeping aside her opponents in the race for the Aldai seat. Her star would shine brighter as a representative to the Kofi Annan led talks that brokered a power sharing deal between PNU and ODM.
Another woman in Nairobi's Starehe constituency waged a different kind of war.
Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, a fiery preacher, announced her interest in Starehe constituency, then held by Sports minister, Mr Maina Kamanda.
But cracks began to emerge rapidly. A Mr James Kamangu shot onto the scene, just days after the preacher had introduced her fiancÈ to her Jesus is Alive Ministries congregation. Kamangu staked a claim to Wanjiru as his wife.
Wanjiru's eventually overcame her challenges to clinch the seat on an ODM ticket, and was named the Housing Assistant minister.
Water and Irrigation minister Charity Ngilu bounces back to the Cabinet after her sacking last year as Health minister following a scathing verbal onslaught on the Government. In what was seen as her increasing dalliance with the opposition last year, Ngilu finally put to rest speculation over her next political move when she declared support for the Raila Odinga-led ODM, which she later joined as Pentagon member.
A seasoned politician, Ngilu made her stab in politics at the height of the clamour for multipartyism when she won the Kitui Central seat in 1992 on a Democratic Party of Kenya ticket. In 1997, she became the first woman to vie for the presidency, coming fifth on a Social Democratic Party of Kenya ticket.
Tourism Assistant minister Cecily Mbarire returns to Government as an elected MP on a PNU ticket. Mbarire made her political debut when she became one of four women nominated by Narc in 2003. She was later appointed Transport Assistant minister.
Gichugu MP Martha Karua retains her Justice ministry portfolio despite having been touted as a likely candidate for the post of Deputy Prime minister, taken up by Uhuru Kenyatta.
Karua, one of Kibaki's strongest allies, plunged into politics at the height of the clamour for multipartysim and has successfully retained her parliamentary seat in every election since 1992.
Although the former magistrate had a stint at the Water ministry, it is her tenure at the Justice ministry that thrust her into the public glare, from where she has fought many battles to defend Kibaki's government.
For Youth and Sports minister, Hellen Sambili, entry to the august House came through the little known UDM party.
The former Egerton University lecturer sought refuge in the party after a shambolic nomination that saw her lose to the ODM candidate, then Mogotio, MP Joseph Korir.
Beth Mugo, a niece of Kenya's first President Jomo Kenyatta, thought she would settle down to marriage and a teaching career when she became head teacher of Kiganjo Primary School in Kiambu. But that was before an opportunity to study business management in the US came in the 1960s, followed by a stint at the Voice of Kenya television.
Years later, Mugo is not only in charge of the Health and Sanitation ministry but represents Dagoretti constituency on a PNU ticket.
Former Kipsigis Girls High School student Lorna Laboso joined the ranks of about six women MPs who shattered cultural myths to emerge tops in several constituencies in the vast Rift Valley Province.
She now takes up an assistant ministerial job in the Office of the Vice-President and Ministry of Home Affairs.
Marakwet East MP Linah Kilimo returns to government as an assistant minister for Co-operative Development. Kilimo's first stint in Parliament after the 2002 election saw her appointed Immigration minister. She would later be sacked alongside several ministers after the 2005 Referendum. retained her seat.
Across in Ukambani, a region largely considered an ODM-Kenya zone, Wavinya Ndeti defied the odds to trounce Mr Peter Kaindi on the little known Chama Cha Uzalendo party.
Ndeti, a former chief executive officer of an information and communication technology firm, had cause for double celebration following her appointment as an Assistant minister in the Youth and Sports ministry.
Nyeri Town's Esther Murugi was appointed Gender and Children's Affairs minister. Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro will deputise Mutula Kilonzo at the Nairobi Metropolitan ministry.
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