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When Anne Waiguru left public service she did not think herself a politician instead, she had her eyes fixed on the media.

“I wanted to start my show… but then a friend suggested that I join politics and I thought they were joking,” said Waiguru, Governor of Kirinyaga County and chair of the Council of Governors (CoG).

Waiguru says her nature as an introvert went against the attributes of a political leader who is expected to frequently address the masses. 

But despite these perceived inhibitors, she waded into politics in 2017 and became the first female governor of Kirinyaga. She says she went into politics to address gaps she noticed while in the public and private sectors. 

Waiguru’s footprints in the public sector include stints as the director of Integrated Financial Management and Information Systems (IFMIS) and various positions at the Treasury. 

In preparation for her new role, Waiguru sought the services of a Kikuyu and Kiswahili tutor to better communicate with the electorate. 

“My Kiswahili was bad and my Kikuyu was far worse I felt I would not adequately communicate with the people who elected me. I had to do something,” she said in a recent forum for women in leadership.

“My entry into politics was generally not easy but sometimes that is what you have to go through to get to your destination.” 

Waiguru encouraged women who are in leadership to have determination and resilience and not to listen to naysayers. 

Lina Githuka, Managing director, of Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL) explained that women who sit in leadership positions are scrutinized and judged more harshly on behaviour and appearance than their male counterparts.

Explaining an incident where she was captured on audio giving a dress down during an office meeting and the ensuing bashing when it went viral, Githuka holds that leaders have to be strong to withstand such events.  

“The incident put me down but I did not allow myself to stay down forever,” she said.

Family criticism

Kamami Christine Michira, partner DLA, Piper Africa observed that women should not become Perpetrators in their destruction, encouraging them to instead stand in solidarity and crush instigators. 

“We should not participate in tearing each other down and we should learn to protect each other when women are called social climbers,” said Michira.

Waiguru also said that women who have risen to positions of leadership are regarded as having compromised something.

“In politics sometimes they imagine you cannot get anywhere without compromising something. Sometimes the criticism is directed towards your family and it can be terrible. It has happened to me I had to be strong to make it,” said Waiguru

The women leaders acknowledged that holding positions of leadership puts a strain on various aspects of their lives, particularly on their role as mothers. 

“These roles are demanding and they come with a lot of sacrifices and in most cases, the family bears the brunt first. Because you might not attend all the games and meetings for your child you might not be fully there because of a busy schedule,” said Githuka.

She adds: “It is okay to call it quits when it becomes overwhelming.” 

Githuka recalls putting the brakes at British America Tobacco (BAT) where she held a senior position. For six months after her exit, she fully devoted herself to the care of her daughter.

“Your career will end, that is given, and when it does you still need people around you it is important to make time for the family,” she said.

Feminity

Waiguru said she has devoted the weekends, particularly Saturdays, to her family when they gather for breakfast meetings that continue for the better part of the day.

The women also spoke about femininity and its place in leadership noting that a woman cannot run away from her femininity but that should not hold them back from being leaders. 

“We are not asking women to be tough like men that is not their nature. We are saying do not make some things an issue it is already evident that you are a woman. Your femininity is already known you do not need to exaggerate it,” said Michira.