Creaw Portal

BY MUTINDA MWANZIA

WAVINYA NDETI

Wavinya is first female elected MP in Machakos

Appointed Assistant minister in the coalition Government

Braved the a DM-Kenya wave in Ukambani to win

First Woman to be elected MP in Machakos District since independence. Worked as CEO of IT Company An expert in Computer Science

KATHIANI CONSTITUENCY

Barely six months as an MP, Ms Wavinya Ndeti has been labeled a rebel.

The 39-year-old Kathiani MP is among Ukambani legislators who have differed in public with Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka over the region's politics.

However, the MP doesn't see herself as a rebel. "1 speak my mind," she says, a trait she hopes to maintain as Assistant minister for Youth and Sports.

"As elected leaders our loyalty should be to the electorate and not party leaders or regional political chieftains," she says.

The IT specialist is among the 15 women who were elected to the Tenth Parliament. In her constitu­ency, she made history as the first woman to be elected to Parlia­ment in Machakos District since independence.

She and Water minister and Kitui Central MP Charity Ngilu are the only elected female MPs in Parlia­ment from Ukarnbani.

Wavinya won the seat on the little known Chama Cha Uzalendo party, beating lf male candidates.

Among them was former As­sistant Minister Mr Peter Kyalo Kai­ndi, who run on ODM-Kenya ticket.

The MP considers her election as a sign of trust and faith her constituents have in her.

"I was rigged out in the ODM-Ke­nya nominations but did not lose hope. The fact that the people of Kathiani voted for me while run­ning on a little known party ticket is an indicator that they had trust in me," says Wavinya. She garnered 28,178 votes, against

 

CDF to spur development. She says the fund will be managed by professionals to ensure transpar­ency and accountability.

"The locals will have a say on what they want funded. They are the bosses. All projects will be monitored to ensure every penny is put into good use. There will be no room for theft," says Wavinya.

Mavoko, home to the industrial Athi-River town, will be a major focus for the MP.

She says the factories should benefit locals by providing employ­ment opportunities.

"It prudent for the companies

to hire local casuals. This way everybody gains something," says Wavinya.

She says companies should embrace corporate social respon­sibility and help local projects in schools and hospitals.

On the incessant pollution of Athi-River by local factories, she says: "1 will ensure they stop pour­ing their waste into the liver. The waste is a health hazard."

Wavinya says the constituency

is complex as it is both local and urban. It is made up of the mainly rural Kathiani division and the urban Athi-River division that com­prises Mavoko.

The road network, she says, will also get attention.

The MP says the Koma- Mitaboni­Kathlanl road would be graded to enable it ease transport and com-

Being a Computer Science expert, Wavinya says provision of comput­ers to schools will be a priority to boost technology literacy.

The MP says award schemes will be initiated to motivate teachers and learners.

"Provision of clean water will be enhanced through the sinking of boreholes and surface dams," she says.

Wavinya says health centres are few and ill equipped.

"Women get a raw deal when they visit the health centres for post-na­tal care. I will ensure more health facilities are put up and equipped," says Wavinya.

Before venturing into politics last year, she was the Chief executive officer of an information and com­munication technology company in Nairobi.

Her father, Peter Ndetl, a former chairman of the Athi River Town Councilinsprred,hertojoin politics.

Wavinya studied at Athi River and St Mary's Molo primary schools before joining Kenya High School for her "0" levels.

She joined the West London College for an advanced Diploma in Business System Analysis and

Design. •

Wavinya joined the South Bank University in London and graduat­ed with a Bsc in Computer Science.

"Education abroad helped shape and open windows of opportunities for me," says Wavinya.

She also holds a masters degree in Science and an MBA degree from United Kingdom universities.

Wavinya is married to Mr Joseph Henry Dolamu, a chartered accoun­tant in the UK, and they have three children.