Aisha Jumwa, a notable political figure in Kenya, has had a tough journey to where she is today. Despite being looked down upon for her education journey and criticised for her political moves, which at the end vindicated her, Jumwa seems to have her eyes on the prize and nothing can stand in her way of achieving her dreams.
When President William Ruto appointed her to Cabinet, many politicians, including Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna questioned her competence and capability to discharge government mandates at that level. However, her submissions before the vetting committee turned her sorrows into joy as some members of the panel expressed admiration for her resilience to overcome a tough childhood and becoming the notable political figure she is.
Recently, Jumwa made history by being the top delegate in Kenya's delegation to the United Nations Security Council's 77th session at the New York City headquarters. This was to the awe of her supporters and chagrin of her detractors. On Wednesday, March 9, Jumwa shared the milestone on her social media accompanied by the message she had for the council.
In her submission, Jumwa made known to the council that Kenya was implementing the second National Action Plan of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security. She humbly addressed the UN Security Council Open debate on Women Peace and Security (WPS) towards the 25th Anniversary of Resolution 1325. She called upon the Security Council to implement the existing WPS normative framework by supporting and investing in regional and local efforts.
Furthermore, Jumwa prevailed on the council to maintain its commitment to integrate gender perspectives in its work and dialogue and contextualised action to address increased vulnerabilities for women and girls in conflict, post-conflict, and humanitarian response contexts. She also explained that Kenya, in adherence to the Constitution, laws and policies, supports women's leadership at all decision-making levels.
We are placing women's economic security at the heart of our continued implementation of the MPS agenda. On March 2, the government overhauled and digitized our Women's Business Fund to improve financial inclusion and accelerate women's economic empowerment. Jumwa announced the development to the City Council.
This comes just days after Kenyans questioned why Dorcas Gachagua, wife of Vice President Rigathi Gachagua, accompanied Jumwa to New York.