Unlike in the past, Kenya now boasts increased female representation in Parliament, with every county electing a Woman Representative who serves as a full lawmaker, which is definitely a big step towards gender inclusion in the country’s leadership.
Post-independence Kenya saw the majority of leadership positions dominated by men, and as a result, women were neither elected nor nominated to major government roles.
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Nonetheless, in 1969, a woman defied the norm and was elected to the National Assembly.
In this segment, Times Digital Kenya explores the first Kenyan woman ever elected as a Member of Parliament at a time when such representation was rare.
Who was the first Kenyan female MP?
Born in Sakwa, Siaya County, Grace Onyango first worked as a teacher for several years before becoming a Member of Parliament in 1969, after she was elected to represent Kisumu Town Constituency.
Through the ruling party at the time, the Kenya African National Union (KANU), she became the first-ever woman to serve as a lawmaker in the country.
She demonstrated her prowess in a male-dominated arena by emerging victorious in three parliamentary elections, serving in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Parliaments from 1969 to 1983. For instance, in 1969, Grace won against six male candidates who reportedly used her gender to attack her.
In the House, Grace Onyango not only championed the rights of children and women but was also a vocal critic of political injustices in Kenya.
Prior to becoming Member of Parliament, she had spent a period serving as the Mayor of Kisumu. Actually, she was the first Mayor of the town in the former Nyanza Province. During her tenure as Mayor, Kisumu was recognized as one of the cleanest towns in East Africa.
In addition to these two milestones, Grace served as the first woman to hold the position of Deputy Speaker in the National Assembly.
Work and Achievements
Apart from serving in Parliament, Grace Onyango was a vocal advocate for the rights of women and children.
She served as the Chair of the Child Welfare Society, Kisumu District, as well as the Secretary-General of the Luo Union (East Africa), and was also one of the founding trustees of the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya in 1980.
Grace Onyango’s life after politics
Her tenure in the National Assembly came to an end in 1983 after she lost her bid for a fourth term. As a result, Grace Onyango decided to retire from active politics and lived a low-key life since then.
To honor her while still alive, in 2020, the Kisumu County Government renamed the Kisumu Social Hall after her, calling it the Grace Onyango Social Hall.
Additionally, in 2022, African medical professionals and researchers launched the Mama Grace Onyango Foundation for Digital Health in her honor. In the same year, she also received the Kenya Eminent Women Trailblazers Award.
Sadly, Grace Onyango died on March 8, 2023, at the age of 98, leaving behind a legacy that sought to position women as equal to their male counterparts in the country’s leadership.
