Esther Anyieni Okenyuri was nominated to the Senate to replace Soipan Tuya following her appointment as Environment Cabinet Secretary.
In her capacity as a Senator, she serves as the Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialization & Tourism and holds membership in the Health and Powers & Privileges Committees.
Additionally, she assumes the role of Deputy Secretary General at the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association and the organizing Secretary of the Kenyan Women Senators Association, advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Senator Okenyuri took the initiative to sponsor the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood) Bill, 2023.
The bill seeks to provide a framework to regulate the business of street vending in the country to ensure that street vendors can transact their businesses in favorable conditions.
It also seeks to standardize informal trading rights, regulate informal trading locations including licensing by counties and designate public spaces for informal trade.
Furthermore, it also aims to incorporate public participation in the designation of vending zones and regulations for informal traders.
Education
From 2006 to 2009, Okenyuri attended Kenya High School and completed her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
In 2010, she further obtained a Certificate in Computer Systems & Application Packages from Elgon View College.
Between 2010 to 2011, she studied CPA Part 1 at Kisii College of Accountancy.
Okenyuri later joined the Maasai Mara University in 2011 where she studied Bachelor of Information Science Degree.
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Her Career
In 2017, she worked as a Customer Experience Executive at Safaricom Limited before holding the position of a Senior Assistant Director in the Research Strategy and Delivery Department at the Office of the Deputy President from 2018 to 2022.
She was tasked with developing concept papers to support implementation of technical and vocational training institutions in at least every sub-county in Kenya.
However, this was after an unsuccessful nomination to the Kisii County Assembly after the 2017 General Elections when she was shortchanged as a Jubilee nominee.
The Political Journey of Okenyuri
Her political and leadership journey dates back to her primary school Taranganya Girls as a bell ringer.
Esther’s inner urge to lead was irritated with her belief and passion that continuously offered herself to serve the people.
She served as a class representative and later the first Female Vice President of Students Union at Maasai Mara University.
From 2015 to 2016, she served as a Youth Democracy Ambassador at the Institute for Education in Democracy.
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Community Engagement
Esther formed the Kisii Youth Alliance, a community-based organization based in Kisii County to develop abilities of the youth to create and access opportunities to improve their livelihoods.
She also founded the Raising Noble Sisters in 2014 while at Maasai Mara University, which was a mentorship platform to sensitize young women to participate in leadership at the University.
Okenyuri is also the founder of ‘Women for Ruto’ campaign movement and the youngest senator in Kenya.
