BLOG/ THANGWA: Women break glass ceiling with 6 Cabinet slots

Phyllis Chepkosgey top left, cabinet nominee for Commerce and Tourism, Judy Wakhungu, (top center) nominee for Environment Water and Natural Resources, Rachel Omamo nominee for defence (bottom left), Amina Mohamed nominee for foreign affaires and Charity Ngilu, nominee for Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

What you need to know:

  • Certainly no pinching of noses at malls – those who do not know or recognise you will catch on eventually.
  • Single women have been reputed to climb easier as they are not encumbered by insecure spouses and needy young families, hence the beauty of seeing family people rise to the top.

The proverbial glass ceiling has been cracking for a while in Kenya's public sector, but with the appointment of six women into the Cabinet, the glass has finally been broken.

Not to cast aspersion on Charity Ngilu or anything like that, she will not be part of this discussion on the long walk of professional Kenyan women in the public sector into Cabinet positions.

I have a lot of respect for Hon. Ngilu, as a trailer-blazer in the political scene, but I feel the walk of the other five women is a better reference point for recognition of professional excellence in the public sector.

Life for society as a whole and specifically for women lost balance when humans changed their lifestyle from hunters and gatherers to more sedentary life styles.

In the hunting age, men had no choice but to be Alfa males, in the education and creativity age more Alfa females are emerging.

Yet sadly, men have been known to run back to their cultural cocoons when it comes to recognising the strengths, abilities and sensibilities that women bring on the job.

The private sectors where excellence is the gauge of performance has done much better in making the glass ceiling more malleable.

In the public sector, it takes more than brains and an organisational hammer to break it. It takes women shedding away culturally and self imposed limitations, but most importantly a leadership that is willing to put credentials and ability ahead of tokenism.

The women that the Uhuru-Ruto duo has appointed are achievers by any standard and are a good mix of both single and married.

Single women have been reputed to climb easier as they are not encumbered by insecure spouses and needy young families, hence the beauty of seeing family people rise to the top.

Mrs Phyllis Jepkosgei and Prof Judi Wakhungu have been appointed from the private sector, while the rest have a history in public service. The message that the current administration is sending to young Kenyan girls is that the sky is the limit. "You excel we shall find you and give you a chance to put your expertise into public use."

The ladies have also been assigned dockets where they must not only use their brains, but their beauty will be an ‘added advantage’.

Tourism, foreign affairs and devolution where chairs may be flying around offices, others like defence will need strategy and foresight. The future of Kenya and the globe as a whole depend on how we manage our environment today.

To the ladies, you have done us proud as Kenyans and as women. Now you need to do a serious self audit, you are in those positions because you have earned them.

The rest of the women in the country are looking up to you. Don’t let them down.

Don’t be ambivalent, even when the public wants to use your place in culture and emotional depositions as women to influence your decisions and the direction that your careers will take starting the day after vetting.

The only place you have to prove yourself in public life is in your office. Certainly no pinching of noses at malls – those who do not know or recognize you will catch on eventually.

Ms Thangwa works in the heritage sector, specialising in culture and enterprise.