Margaret’s brand of soft power

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta feeds an orphaned elephant at the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Sanctuary at the Nairobi National Park. FILE 

In Summary

• First Lady and the deputy president’s wife have both quickly identified the roles they want to play nationally, away from politics, and are executing this to the delight of Kenyans.

In the mid-morning of last Saturday, a military helicopter landed at Kogelo Primary School in Siaya County. Shortly, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta alighted from the aircraft and was received by Mama Sarah Obama, the grandmother of US President Barack Obama and a team of local politicians.

Mrs Kenyatta was in Kogelo to flag off the inaugural Sowo-Kogelo Marathon, in aid of 2000 children affected by HIV and Aids in the region. A jovial Margaret walked hand-in-hand with Mama Sarah as she went into her hostess’ home, admired photos and talked to the elderly lady.

True to her character since becoming Kenya’s first lady in March, Mrs Kenyatta has steered clear of politics choosing instead to talk about the children she was in Kogelo to assist and her role as “the children’s ambassador.”

“I would like to see all barriers that hinder children’s education removed -- whatever their status, gender, physical or mental condition. I strongly believe that every child should be given a fair chance to succeed in life as you never know what they might become in the future,” she said.

Articulate

The well-educated and articulate daughter of a former Kenya Railways chief executive, Njuguna Gakuo, has put children top on the list of the many worthy causes she is supporting in her position as the First Lady.

In the recent past, Mrs Kenyatta has chosen to communicate that message through active participation in children-related programmes such as the ongoing polio vaccination campaign. The night before flying to Kogelo, the First Lady attended a Palmhouse Foundation dinner in support of needy children.

Mrs Kenyatta’s first campaign was in May where she flagged off Ahadi Kenya’s shoe distribution project aimed at fighting jiggers among children.

Along with her daughter, Ngina, Margaret joined the anti-jigger campaign, and has since participated in the foundation’s activities across the country. She officially became Kenya’s First Lady on April 9, following the swearing in of her husband of 24 years Uhuru Kenyatta as president.

Wearing a silver-patterned skirt suit, the mother of three - Jomo, Ngina and Jaba - was thrust into the limelight, forcing her to shed off the publicity-shy persona she had held on to throughout the months of bruising political campaigns.

Over the past seven months, Margaret has spent a large amount of her time on pet projects that are carefully calibrated to address soft but burning social causes dear to many Kenyans’ hearts.

Ticket

Children’s welfare, the environment and anti-jigger campaigns have made the list.  She has also participated in the launch of the third phase of the National Sanitary Towels School Programme in Marigat, Baringo, and fistula campaign in June, among others

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The election of her husband to the presidency gave her a ticket to joining the Organisation of African First Ladies (OAFL) against HIV/Aids, where she made her maiden speech in Ethiopia in May.

Though she has tried to remain apolitical as she travels across the country, it has been hard not to be drawn in. Her recent visit to Siaya, for instance, was seen to have political undertones.