Governors’ wives want a kitty set aside to enable them to help the community.
The County First Ladies Association, which is set to be renamed First Spouses Of Governors Association after the election of female governors, said they are incapacitated due to a lack of funds.
According to Emily Nyaribo, wife of Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, governors’ spouses are “not flower girls” as they work hard behind the scenes.
They said members of the public expect a lot from them, yet they are incapacitated due to a lack of funds as their offices are not recognised by law.
She urged MCAs to pass the Bills for setting up first ladies’ offices when they come before their houses.
They were speaking in Murang’a County on Thursday during the launch of autism awareness and acceptance month which was organised by Murang’a First Lady Mary Wambui at Kirwara Level Four Hospital.
The event was graced by the country’s Second Lady, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi.
The first ladies called for recognition by the government because they “do a lot of work that helps the community”.
Also present were Nyeri and Kiambu first ladies including wives of past and present members of parliament.
Goodwill
“We don’t have a budget and whatever we do is because of the partners we have and the goodwill,” lamented Mrs Nyaribo.
“We want to urge you the county assembly members and the governors to fast-track and institutionalisation of the first ladies’ offices so as to get a budget to help and support the work that you do,” she added.
Mrs Agnes Ochillo, wife of Migori Governor Ochillo Ayako, on her part, said they only hold ceremonial offices adding that they are just driven by passion to do the work they do.
“We walked with them when they were campaigning and said a few things that we would do once our husbands are elected and that is what is driving us,” she remarked.
“For your information, we don’t receive any salary, we put aside everything we do on daily basis to come and ensure the community is supported and that’s why when you mention disability, health, empowerment we are there,” she added.
Mrs Ochillo, who is the vice chair of the association noted that being the wife of the governor, society expects them to have money as they bring all their problems to them expecting them to solve all of them.
“We go out of our way to look for funds for our projects, which is a daunting task because the counties do not give us funds contrary to popular belief,” she said.
The two said they run projects that make a difference in the lives of many Kenyans with funds from donors or out of their pockets.
Former first ladies had also raised the same challenge noting that they were in positions of influence yet they have no role or resources.
They claimed the governors fear initiating projects for them because of the perception it will generate and land them in problems.
