Madam Speaker: Kenga’s rise to the helm of Kilifi Assembly

She has experienced unemployment, worked as a personal assistant and Hansard reporter in Parliament, resigned from a secure government job, risen from county executive to county secretary, and now sits at the helm of the Kilifi Assembly as its first female Speaker.

The journey of Catherine Kenga is one of unexpected turns, a reminder that sometimes destiny arrives quietly, disguised as ordinary opportunities.

Three years ago, "Madam Speaker Kenga" was not a name that dominated conversations in Kilifi's political circles.

She was not a politician. She was not a household name. She was simply a public servant who had returned home with years of experience gained outside the county.

Today, she sits at the centre of power in the Kilifi County Assembly, occupying a position many would have considered beyond imagination.

In Kenya, politics remains largely male-dominated, but Kenga has broken barriers. She is the first woman to become Speaker of the Kilifi County Assembly, the first female Speaker in the Coast region, and one of only two women currently serving as speakers of county assemblies in Kenya.

Within three years, she moved from serving as Roads, Transport and Public Works CECM to acting county secretary, and finally to the Speaker's seat.

Nationally, only two county assemblies, Kilifi and Machakos, are currently headed by women speakers, placing Kenga among a small but significant group of trailblazing leaders.

Yet, sitting in her spacious office, surrounded by awards accumulated throughout her public service career, Kenga remains remarkably grounded.

"The Speaker's position has not gotten into my head. I am still Catherine Kenga. Anyone can approach me. If I have a solution, I will help. If I don't, I will look for one. I love peace. I don't like confrontation," she says.

That humility perhaps best explains why, in just three years, she has climbed the ranks so quickly.

For Kenga, the journey has never been about titles. It has been about growth.

It is the story of a young girl who once questioned whether her education mattered, and a woman who spent two years unemployed wondering when her breakthrough would come.

Kenga's story began far from the political corridors of Kilifi.

She was born and raised in Mombasa, where she grew up in a family that valued education, discipline and exposure.

Her parents came from a rural background but deliberately created opportunities for their children to experience a different world.

"My father and mother were born and raised in a rural setting. But with the exposure they got, they deemed it fit to bring us up in town, where we attained our education and gained exposure," she says.

She attended St Augustine Preparatory School, which she credits with building her confidence in communication. She remembers her primary school English teacher, who insisted that students speak correctly and confidently.

"My English teacher would make sure we spoke English. He really shaped me," she recalls.

She later joined Star of the Sea High School, a school many underestimated at the time. "There are people who would say girls from these day schools do not perform well. But I managed to secure admission to university," she says.

Like many young people with big ambitions, Kenga had a vision. She wanted to become a lawyer. Her father also wanted her to pursue law.

She joined the University of Nairobi to study for a Bachelor of Laws degree.

"In my second year, I asked myself, 'What am I doing here?' I felt like I was in the wrong profession," she says.

But she persevered and completed her degree.

Although she qualified as a lawyer, she never pursued admission as an advocate of the High Court. For her, the courtroom carried a heavy emotional burden.

"I am emotional, not in a negative way but in a positive way. I would want to fight for justice and, if that justice was not granted, I would feel like I had failed," she says.

Instead, she pursued a Master's degree in International Studies, driven by her desire to serve beyond the courtroom. She wanted to become an ambassador.

She hoped to represent the country, negotiate and articulate government positions on the international stage. Little did she know that those negotiation skills, diplomacy and understanding of governance would later prepare her for one of the most challenging political environments: the county assembly.

Before the recognition came, there were moments when Kenga questioned her journey.

She was unemployed for two years. It was a difficult season, she says.

"I did not give up, but I knew one day something good would give," she says.

"At one point, I asked myself, 'Was the education worth it?' I sat and said I wish I had bought meat every day with Sh1,000," she says.

Kenga's rise was not overnight. She started in humble positions.

She worked as a personal assistant to leaders, including Ganze MP Harrison Kombe and former Taveta MP and Cabinet Minister Naomi Shaban. She also served as Ganze Constituency manager.

Her first breakthrough came when she joined the Parliamentary Service Commission as a Hansard reporter in the Senate. At the time, she believed she had achieved everything she wanted in life.

Unknown to her, it was only another step in a much longer journey. The Senate taught her discipline.

"No one tells you what you are supposed to report. No one tells you that you are supposed to transcribe. You have to do it yourself," she says.

That discipline would later define her leadership style.

After years away, Kenga felt a responsibility to return home.

When the opportunity arose to serve as a county executive in 2022, she resigned from her permanent job at the Senate.

For many people, leaving a secure government position would have been difficult.

For Kenga, it was a calling. "I felt that I needed to come back home and support my people. Whatever I had gathered outside Kilifi county, I needed to bring back home," she says.

Her approach was simple: public resources had to serve the people. As Roads executive, she developed a reputation for demanding accountability from contractors. She became known as a tough administrator.

"My father comes from Kilifi. This is home. If I burn my home, where do I go?" she says.

Then came another unexpected chapter. From Roads executive, Kenga became acting county secretary. The transition exposed her to broader responsibilities.

"All information about the county passes through you. All staff matters pass through you," she says.

The experience prepared her for the ultimate challenge: the Speaker's seat.

When members of the county assembly elected her, history was made as Kilifi got its first female Speaker.

"I remember my first conference. I said, 'The women have it now,'" she recalls.

But she knew the road ahead would not be easy because politics is unpredictable.

Assemblies are often defined by disagreements, alliances and intense debate.

Yet Kenga insists she is not a politician. "I am strictly an administrator," she says.

Her role, she explains, is to be a referee. "When I walk into the chamber, I am the Speaker. A Speaker does not take sides."

More importantly, she notes that many male MCAs voted for her.

To her, that demonstrated confidence in women's leadership rather than gender politics.

"It has not been easy. There are moments when you ask yourself, 'How do I handle this?'"

Her answer is always the same. "You call yourself into a boardroom meeting. Analyse the challenge, evaluate the options and move forward. Giving up has never been part of my vocabulary," she says.

Leading an assembly dominated by political interests requires balance and Kenga's strategy has been inclusion.

She reaches out to members and staff, listening before making decisions.

Her greatest achievement has been restoring hope among assembly staff, she says.

"When I first walked in, everyone was gloomy. Today, I can walk into the assembly and see smiles."

Despite reaching one of the highest leadership positions in Kilifi, Kenga believes her journey is far from over.

She still dreams of furthering her education and hopes to pursue a PhD.

"I believe the assembly is not the end of Catherine Kenga. There are great opportunities ahead," she says.

She credits her late parents with instilling the values that continue to guide her.

Before her mother passed away, Kenga remembers receiving words that have stayed with her.

Her mother held her hands and told her: "God bless you. You will never lack."

Away from the Speaker's chair, Kenga remains a mother.

Balancing leadership and family has not been easy.

She is a mother of two and admits that the demands of public service sometimes come with sacrifices.

Her daughter's question often stays with her.

"Are you coming back today?"

Those moments remind her of the challenge of balancing motherhood and leadership.

But she draws strength from her family, especially her sister, who supports her children whenever duty calls.