As Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua prepares for a crucial impeachment trial in the Senate next week, the name of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has popped up in political circles as speculation over potential successors continues.
A recent survey shows that 44 per cent of Kenyans believe the Senate will uphold DP Gachagua’s impeachment, while 30 per cent think the Senate will vote against it.
If the Senate confirms the impeachment, the President will have to pick a new nominee for the position of deputy president.
The survey report by Infotrak further indicates that Governor Waiguru is among the preferred successors supported by 5 per cent of the respondents.
Additionally, twenty per cent of the 1,000 respondents support Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki while another 5 percent support Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as suitable replacements for Gachagua.
But who is Anne Mumbi Waiguru? Is she the best fit for the position?
Waiguru, a seasoned politician in Kenya and a governance expert, could become Kenya’s first ever female deputy president if nominated for the position.
Her career boasts over 20 years of expertise in economic policy and government affairs.
Governor Waiguru who is the outgoing Councils of Governors (CoG) chairperson started her career at Transparency International before moving to the Kenya Leadership Institute.
Also Read: Waiguru Speaks on Possibility of Being Deputy President
In addition, her career in public service started when she was hired as a consultant to provide technical assistance to the Public Service Reform Secretariat.
Anne Waiguru Career and political journey
Waiguru also served as the Head of Governance and the Economic Stimulus Programme at the National Treasury.
The governor was then promoted to head the directorate of Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS), and Head of Governance at the National Treasury.
Her professional career also includes serving as a Technical Advisor for Public Sector Reforms during former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, on secondment by both the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme.
In 2013, former President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed her Cabinet Secretary in charge of Devolution after he was declared the winner of the 2013 general election.
Waiguru made history as Kenya’s first Devolution CS, leading the effective decentralization of key services aligned to the new constitution in both resources and capacity transfers.
Re-election and CoG Chair
She served in the position until 2016 when she tendered her resignation.
In 2017, Waiguru continued to break barriers by attempting elective politics where she succeeded after being elected as the second governor of Kirinyaga County and becoming one of Kenya’s first three female Governors.
During her first term as governor, she served as the vice chair of the Council of Governors.
Her re-election in 2022 further entrenched her name in Kenya’s history as she became the first and only woman to secure consecutive gubernatorial terms.
Notably, she also became the first female Chairperson of the Council of Governors after successfully serving as Vice Chair cementing her status as a trailblazer in Kenyan politics.
She served as the chair of the CoG chair until October 2024 when her term lapsed.
As Chairperson of the CoG, Waiguru fostered improved relations between the council and national government leadership.
Education, Accolades & Blueprint
After her primary school studies, Waiguru joined Precious Blood Girls Secondary school for her O-levels between 1984 and 1987 and later proceeded to the Moi Forces Academy, Nairobi, where she sat her A-Level exams in 1989.
She joined Egerton University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and Home Economics.
Governor Waiguru also holds a master’s degree in public finance from the University of Nairobi.
In 2011, she was nominated as one of the Top 40 under 40 women in the country, the only nominee at the time from the Public Service.
Her contributions to public service are extensive and impactful.
The former CS throughout her tenure has revolutionized public service accessibility and accountability by implementing key initiatives such as Huduma Centers, and support for informal sector development through the National Youth Services program.
Under her tenure as Cabinet Secretary, public procurement reforms were initiated, which included the reservation of 30 per cent of all supply contracts to the government for groups including marginalized persons, youth, persons with disability, and women as a means of helping to achieve the progressive realization of the country’s economic and social rights as espoused under Article 43 of the Constitution.
Initiatives and the G 7 Strategy
Waiguru initiated infrastructure, system, and human development programs, with the ultra-modern Kerugoya Level Five Hospital as a flagship project.
Additionally, her Agriculture Stimulus program, “Wezesha”, has supported thousands of households, contributing to economic empowerment.
Recognizing the importance of gender parity in governance, Anne champions the two thirds gender principle, aiming to elevate women’s representation in public offices.
She has also been a key member of the G7 group of female governors in Kenya which aims to support the reelection and increase the number of elected women governors.
With her dedication to service and advocacy for gender equality, Waiguru envisions a future where such equality is no longer an aspiration but a reality in Kenya.
Waiguru could further cement her name in the country’s history books if nominated to succeed DP Gachagua whose fate awaits a crucial vote in the Senate.
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