The First ladies who left a mark while at State House

As president Uhuru Kenyatta and First lady Margaret Kenyatta occupy State House for the final term, the public will be keenly watching how they will shape their legacy.

Pulselive.co.ke compiled the following report on first ladies who have occupied the house over the last 5 decades and what they will be remembered for.

Mama Ngina Kenyatta

Mama Ngina Kenyatta played an integral in nurturing a newly independent young nation at a time when coups and counter coups were common among newly independent African states.

She is also believed to have played a critical role in the political career of President Uhuru Kenyatta with the media linking her to the recent peace pact between President Kenyatta and opposition chief Raila Odinga that calmed the political storm in the country.

Lena Moi

Lena Moi made her entry as the gracious wife to Kenya’s first Vice President and later as the first lady in 1960s and devoted her energy to her family and built a strong Christian foundation for her young family.

In an interview with The Standard, Retired moderator of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) John Gatu recalled how he religiously read the Bible and prayed with President Moi every morning for five years.

Together with Moi, she had keen interest in Education which saw many schools set up and named after Moi across the country.

Lucy Kibaki

Mama Lucy Kibaki’s legacy is founded on her concerted efforts to fight the HIV and Aids scourge, which remains a national disaster to date.

Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Embakasi is named after her in recognignition of her efforts in promoting health and fighting HIV/AIDS.

Several Kenyans paid tribute to her noting that she “was fiercely loyal to her husband, deeply protective of her family and a proud nationalist”.

She also was a dedicated defender of the rights of the girl-child and played a critical role in the establishment of Starehe Girls’ Center which to date serves as a center for excellence to bright girls from underprivileged backgrounds.

Margaret Kenyatta

Through her beyond zero campaign that seeks to equip every county with a mobile ambulance, Margaret Kenyatta has won a place in the hearts of many Kenyans.

Her dedication to the promotion of safe motherhood and health saw her run the full course of a 42KM marathon in London.

The soft-spoken first lady has on numerous occasions opted to steer clear from politics and instead channeling her energy to the beyond zero campaign and other initiatives which shall form part of her legacy.