By JAMES KILONZO; Opiyo Wandayi, the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, demonstrated a powerful commitment to grassroots economic reform by convening a major women’s empowerment event at Nyasanda Grounds in Ugunja Constituency today, November 8, 2025.
The initiative, designed to bolster women traders and community groups, underscores the belief that Kenya’s development hinges on the financial inclusion of women who form the backbone of local economies.
The event served as a vibrant platform for comprehensive empowerment, directly addressing the systemic challenges of capital accessibility faced by women entrepreneurs.
The core of the intervention was the facilitation of access to capital through table banking, a community savings approach that enables women to secure accessible loans within their own groups.
This grassroots financial model promotes entrepreneurship and financial independence, providing vital resources for business expansion and sustainable growth in informal markets.
Beyond capital, participants received crucial knowledge on business management and networking, tools essential for navigating challenging economic environments.
Transformative Leadership and Policy Alignment
Wandayi, whose distinguished career includes serving as the Member of Parliament for Ugunja and Chairing the Public Accounts Committee, is channeling his national platform to deliver tangible change at the community level.
His vision aligns directly with the broader socioeconomic transformation agenda championed by President William Ruto, which prioritizes inclusive development and recognizes rural women as key contributors to national economic resilience.
By operationalizing policies into palpable community impact, Wandayi is setting a new benchmark for leadership that connects national agenda-setting with grassroots realities.
A Display of Unity and National Commitment
The gathering drew an impressive contingent of national and regional leaders, signaling a profound, cross-sectoral commitment to women’s upliftment.
Notable attendees included ODM Party Leader Dr Oburu Oginga, Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, Governor James Orengo, Principal Secretaries Dr Raymond Omollo and Dr Ouma Oluga, and Majority Leaders Aaron Cheruiyot and Kimani Ichung’wah.
The presence of these figures underscored that women’s empowerment transcends partisan lines and is a collaborative national priority.
By fostering an environment where women can thrive as entrepreneurs and leaders, the event directly addressed systemic barriers like limited market access and lack of capacity-building opportunities.
This transformative milestone, rooted in local ownership and responsive to community needs, affirms that sustainable progress is measured by the tangible enlistment of its most vibrant contributors; Kenya’s women.
