Women Governors 2022: The Seven Who Made It and What Their Counties Look Like

Seven women won gubernatorial seats in 2022, the highest number in Kenya's devolution history. But 7 out of 47 is still only 14.9%. Here are their stories, their counties, and what their elections tell us about gender in Kenyan politics.

The Magnificent Seven

In August 2022, seven women were elected governor across Kenya's 47 counties, more than doubling the three women governors who served in the 2017-2022 term. This was a milestone, but still far short of the constitutional requirement that no more than two-thirds of any elective body should be of one gender.

The seven women governors elected in 2022 were:

1. Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos County) - Wiper Party. Won with 213,476 votes (49.3%) in a four-horse race. Ndeti had run twice before, losing in 2013 and 2017. Her persistence paid off in a county with 633,237 registered voters and a population of approximately 1.4 million.
2. Susan Kihika (Nakuru County) - UDA. Won with 434,892 votes (52.1%) against the incumbent, Lee Kinyanjui. Nakuru is Kenya's 4th largest county by population (approximately 2.2 million) and the 3rd largest by registered voters (1,052,342). Kihika's victory in a cosmopolitan county was a significant achievement.
3. Cecily Mbarire (Embu County) - UDA. Won with 130,618 votes (55.7%). Embu has 310,946 registered voters and a population of approximately 608,599. Mbarire transitioned from a long career as an MP to the gubernatorial seat.
4. Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga County) - UDA. Won re-election with 113,097 votes (53.2%). Waiguru was one of only three women governors in the 2017-2022 term and the only one to win re-election. Kirinyaga has 352,649 registered voters.
5. Fatuma Achani (Kwale County) - UDA. Won with 92,431 votes (47.8%) in a closely contested race. Kwale, a coastal county with 281,549 registered voters and a population of approximately 866,820, became the first Coast county to elect a woman governor.
6. Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay County) - ODM. Won with 195,833 votes (59.7%). Homa Bay, in Luo Nyanza, has 494,153 registered voters. Wanga was a prominent MP before her gubernatorial bid and benefited from Raila Odinga's strong endorsement.
7. Kawira Mwangaza (Meru County) - Independent. Won with 209,148 votes (38.2%) in a crowded field. Meru has 741,972 registered voters and a population of approximately 1.5 million. Mwangaza's victory as an independent candidate, defeating candidates from both major coalitions, was perhaps the most remarkable story of the 2022 gubernatorial races.

The Progress: 2013 to 2022

The trajectory of women governors in Kenya shows slow but steady progress:

• 2013: 0 women governors (0 out of 47)
• 2017: 3 women governors (6.4% - Anne Waiguru in Kirinyaga, Charity Ngilu in Kitui, Joyce Laboso in Bomet)
• 2022: 7 women governors (14.9%)

While the number more than doubled from 2017 to 2022, it is worth noting that only one woman governor (Waiguru) won re-election. The other two from 2017 did not retain their seats: Joyce Laboso passed away in 2019, and Charity Ngilu did not seek re-election. This suggests that the pipeline of women gubernatorial candidates is growing, but retention remains a challenge.

The Counties: A Demographic Profile

The seven counties governed by women after 2022 span different regions, ethnic communities, and economic profiles:

• Urban vs Rural: Nakuru and Machakos have significant urban populations (Nakuru City, Mavoko). Embu, Kirinyaga, Kwale, Homa Bay, and Meru are predominantly rural.
• Economic diversity: The combined GDP of the seven counties represents approximately 18% of total county GDP. Nakuru alone contributes roughly 7% of national agricultural output.
• Population: The seven counties collectively account for approximately 8.5 million residents (roughly 17% of Kenya's population), governed by women.
• Ethnic distribution: The counties represent five major ethnic communities: Kamba (Machakos), Kikuyu (Nakuru partly, Kirinyaga), Embu (Embu), Digo/Duruma (Kwale), Luo (Homa Bay), and Meru (Meru).

What Enabled Their Victories

Several factors contributed to the historic number of women gubernatorial winners:

1. Party support: Five of the seven women ran on major party tickets (4 UDA, 1 ODM). Party machinery, funding, and voter mobilisation infrastructure were critical. The notable exception was Kawira Mwangaza, who won as an independent, suggesting that individual candidate strength can overcome structural barriers.

2. Political experience: All seven women had extensive political experience before running. Kihika, Mbarire, and Wanga were sitting or former MPs. Waiguru was the incumbent governor. Ndeti had run twice before. This experience equipped them with campaign skills, fundraising networks, and name recognition.

3. Coalition dynamics: The Kenya Kwanza vs Azimio contest created opportunities for women candidates. In several cases, women candidates emerged when male candidates cancelled each other out in party primaries, or when parties strategically nominated women to appeal to broader voter demographics.

4. Voter maturity: In counties like Homa Bay and Nakuru, voter attitudes toward women leaders have evolved over successive election cycles. The presence of women MPs, senators, and MCAs normalised women's political participation.

The Challenges That Remain

Despite the progress, significant barriers persist:

• Campaign financing: Gubernatorial campaigns cost between KSh 150 million and KSh 500 million. Women candidates consistently report greater difficulty raising funds, with donor networks skewing heavily male.
• Violence and harassment: Multiple women candidates in 2022 reported threats, harassment, and gender-based attacks during campaigns. The Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) documented over 200 incidents of electoral gender-based violence during the 2022 cycle.
• The 40/47 gap: Forty counties out of 47 are still governed by men. In 23 counties, no woman has ever made it past the party primary stage for the governor's race.
• Impeachment risk: Kawira Mwangaza faced three impeachment motions in her first two years, more than any other governor. Critics argue that women governors face disproportionate legislative hostility.

Looking to 2027

The 2022 results set a benchmark. For 2027, the question is whether Kenya can push past single digits to double-digit representation. Political parties have a role to play by ensuring women candidates receive equitable support during primaries. Voters have shown willingness to elect women where strong candidates present themselves.

The constitutional two-thirds gender rule remains unimplemented at the national level, and its application to gubernatorial seats is legally contested. However, the electoral trend is clear: each successive election has produced more women governors. At the current rate, Kenya could have 12-15 women governors by 2032.