NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 28 – Busia woman representative Catherine Omanyo has emerged as the top-performing woman legislator in Kenya, according to a new poll released by Timely Kenya.
The survey rated Omanyo at 65 percent, placing her first among women Members of Parliament, followed closely by Meru Woman MP Elizabeth Karambu at 64.6 percent, while Joyce Kamene of Machakos County ranked third.
Omanyo’s strong showing has been attributed to her visible development record and active engagement both in Parliament and on the ground. Key among her achievements is the push to improve access to clean and safe drinking water, with 37 boreholes drilled across Busia County.
In addition, the legislator has facilitated the construction of more than 100 houses for vulnerable families spread across the county’s seven constituencies.
The Timely Kenya poll assessed legislators based on their contribution on the floor of the House, availability to constituents, and overall development track record. Omanyo scored highly across all parameters, earning top marks for consistency and impact.
Speaking after the release of the poll results, Omanyo reaffirmed her commitment to uplifting the lives of Busia residents, noting that poverty levels in the county remain high.
“My primary objective is to transform the lives of Busia residents,” she said. “When I assumed office in 2022, the rate of teenage pregnancies in Busia was alarmingly high. I have worked to address this by providing sanitary pads to schoolgirls and ensuring access to water in schools to reduce time wasted fetching water.”
“I must leave Busia better than I found it,” she added.
Other women MPs ranked among the top 15 in the survey include Donya Aburi of Kisii (63.1 percent), Njeri Maina of Kirinyaga (62 percent), Esther Passaris of Nairobi (61.8 percent), Betty Maina of Murang’a (61.6 percent), Udgoon Siyadi of Garissa (60.8 percent), and Cynthia Muge of Nandi (57 percent).
Overall, the poll indicates growing public confidence in women legislators. A majority of Kenyans surveyed believe women MPs have performed well since assuming office following the August 2022 General Election, with more than half recording approval ratings above 50 percent.
