Ex-Nairobi MCA Ann Thumbi nominated to Nyeri County Assembly

Former Nairobi Nominated MCA Ann Thumbi is preparing to shift her base to Nyeri County Assembly where she was recently nominated.

Ann, a trained health professional, was nominated to represent women in Nyeri County Assembly for the 2022-2027 period.

This will be her second stint as an MCA after she served at the Nairobi County Assembly from 2017 to 2022.

Nominated MCA Ann Thumbi on the campaign trail Pulse Live Kenya

She had thrown her hat in the political ring earlier this year, seeking to become a Member of Parliament for Tetu constituency in Nyeri.

However, she lost to Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto during the United Democratic Party nominations and retreated to focus on coordinating campaigns for President William Ruto.

Ms Thumbi’s name was then included in the gender top-up list submitted by the UDA party.

READ: Legislator retires from politics after 20 years to sell water

The constitution dictates that every county assembly has to have elected representatives from all the wards and four members representing marginalised groups, including persons with disabilities and the youth.

If after an election, more than two-thirds of the county assembly members are men, enough women must be nominated to the assembly to ensure that the men are not more than two-thirds.

Nominated MCA Ann Thumbi on the campaign trail Pulse Live Kenya

The same happens if the women elected into the house are more than their male counterparts, but that is a rare scenario in Kenya.

The names of those who take up such positions come from party lists.

Ms Thumbi was thrust into the limelight in 2019 following the death of former Kibra MP Ken Okoth.

During the funeral ceremony, former Governor Mike Sonko revealed that she and the MP had a child together, adding that Okoth had requested the Jubilee party to nominate her to the Nairobi County Assembly in 2017.

The allegations were later confirmed to be true after a DNA test was conducted.