Naisula Lesuuda

Naisula Lesuuda (born 30 April 1984) is a Kenyan politician and women's rights activist.

Early life and education

Lesuuda was born in Samburu on 30 April 1984,[1] the first of three children born to an Anglican bishop and a businesswoman.[2] She graduated from Daystar University with a degree in communications and community development.[1][2][3]

Career

Lesuuda worked as a journalist at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, including hosting Good Morning Kenya.[4] In 2009, after ten people were killed in cattle rustling in Laikipia, she became a founding member of the Laikipia Peace Caravan.[3][1][5] This in turn led to the founding of a number of other local peace organisations, supported by the Kenya government and USAid.[3] In 2010, her work with this organisation led to her becoming the youngest Kenyan woman to win the presidential Order of the Grand Warrior.[3][6]

In 2013, Lesuuda left her job to found the Naisula Lesuuda Peace Foundation which advocates for the education of girls and for the eradication of female genital mutilation and child marriage.[4][7][3]

Lesuuda participated in President Uhuru Kenyatta's campaign in 2013,[8] and was then nominated on his TNA party ticket to represent Samburu County in the Senate in 2013, becoming its youngest female member.[4][9] She was then elected Vice Chair of the Kenyan Women's Parliamentary Association.

In 2016, she announced that she would leave the Senate to seek election as a member of the National Assembly for Samburu West in the 2017 election,[10] then in 2017 switching from the Jubilee to KANU party.[11][8] She has maintained her support for Kenyatta.[9]

Awards and honours

Personal life

Lesuuda is unmarried.[11] In 2017, stories emerged in the Kenyan press about a relationship between Lesuuda and her married Senate colleague, Kipchumba Murkomen.[2][12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Naisula Lesuuda Biography and Profile". Soft Kenya. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "EXPOSED: LEAKED SEXY WHATSAPP Chat Between Hon Murkomen and Senator Naisula Lesuuda". Kenya Today. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Keberenge, Kenfrey (13 May 2012). "Her cause captured Kibaki’s eye". Standard. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Nsehe, Mfonobong (4 December 2014). "The 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa 2014". Forbes. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Njogu, Kimani (2013). Youth and Peaceful Elections in Kenya. African Books Collective. p. 162.
  6. ↑ Nkem-Eneanya, Jennifer (27 May 2015). "Senator at 30: Kenya’s Naisula Lesuuda is Breaking Boundaries and Advocating for the Girl-Child". Konnect Africa. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  7. ↑ Jaiyesimi, Adedoyin (26 January 2017). "Meet Naisula Lesuuda, the youngest female member of the Kenyan Senate at age 30!". Leading Ladies Africa. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  8. 1 2 Mukere, Tony (13 March 2017). "Senator Naisula Lesuuda Defects from Jubilee to Kanu as she vies for Samburu West MP". Kenyas.co.ke. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  9. 1 2 Oruko, Ibrahim; Rugene, Njeri (29 June 2017). "Nominated women senators now seek various elective positions". Daily Nation. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Fundi, Martin (5 September 2016). "Senator Naisula 'ready to challenge men for MP in 2017'". The Star. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  11. 1 2 Mwangi, William (12 March 2017). "Senator Naisula Lesuuda ditches Jubilee for Kanu". The Star. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  12. ↑ Karanja, Samuel (18 March 2017). "Kenyans EXPLODE after Murkomen-Lesuda love affair is exposed". Tuko. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
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