Journalist Faith Wamalwa is seeking to turn her years of experience in journalism into political leadership, announcing her bid for Webuye West with a promise to push for constitutional reforms and give women a stronger voice in Parliament.
Speaking during an interview with Radio Generation on Wednesday, Wamalwa said her decision to seek the parliamentary seat was driven by a desire to serve residents, uphold the Constitution and be part of efforts to change laws and improve governance.
She said Parliament offers a key platform for addressing some of the challenges facing the country through legislation, oversight and the implementation of constitutional provisions.
Wamalwa said her years in journalism and communication had allowed her to observe leadership and governance issues from different perspectives, shaping her decision to venture into elective politics.
“For me, it's about serving the people, upholding the Constitution. You know, when you talk about the rule of law, and I think Kenya, just like in many other issues, there is a revolution that is happening currently in Kenya in terms of leadership,” she said.
She argued that Kenya had reached a stage where changes in leadership and governance were necessary, particularly in areas where provisions of the 2010 Constitution remain unimplemented or have stalled.
“There comes a time when things need to change. It is so natural, and I think Kenya, we are at such a point whereby it is like 16 years post the new Constitution, but there are still some things that have gone back before the new Constitution, and there are things that have stalled,” she said.
Among the constitutional issues she highlighted was the two-thirds gender rule, which she said remains largely unfulfilled despite its importance in promoting fair representation.
The Constitution requires that no more than two-thirds of members of elective or appointive public bodies should be of the same gender. However, women remain under-represented in elected institutions, while efforts to achieve the constitutional requirement have faced political and legislative hurdles.
Wamalwa said this was among the reasons she wanted to join the National Assembly, where she believes she could help shape laws and push for constitutional reforms.
“For me, I felt I want to represent women as a Member of Parliament because that is where laws begin. When you talk about making laws and putting matters in place as required by the Constitution, it happens first in Parliament.”
She said she also wanted to use the position to advocate for policies that would benefit residents while contributing to wider changes in governance.
“For me, it's about the power that that house has in terms of pushing for change, and I want to be part of that,” Wamalwa stated.
Her political ambitions come after a career that has taken her through several journalism and communication roles in Kenya and the region.
Wamalwa began her journalism career as a Kenya Broadcasting Corporation correspondent in Turkana before joining the BBC. She later worked with German television and also served with a European Union election observation mission.
She eventually moved to Tanzania, where she pursued opportunities in communication.
Wamalwa said her professional experiences exposed her to different communities, institutions and governance systems, helping shape her interest in public leadership.
She also linked her political ambitions to the need for greater participation of women in leadership, arguing that women should be judged on their qualifications and ability rather than gender stereotypes.
“We want a table whereby a table has been set. We want equal opportunities. We want to be given equal opportunities. Yeah, we want it to be in terms of merit based, not because of how trendy you can be as a woman,” she said.
Wamalwa said women already possess the education, experience and knowledge needed to take up leadership roles and contribute to decision-making.
“We are capable. We have gone to school. We have learned things. We have been exposed to the world. We know how things are supposed to work. We know the Constitution. We know our rights. So give us the equal opportunities and let us work for that,” she said.
Her bid for Webuye West is therefore centred on serving residents while using Parliament as a platform to influence legislation, defend constitutional principles and push for greater representation of women in Kenya's leadership.