Ford Kenya leader Dr Moses Wetang’ula……..Photo/IP
Commentary:
By Caleb Kundu, SG of Kimilili Youth League
NAIROBI
In a political climate often clouded by partisanship, Dr. Moses Wetang’ula, Speaker of the National Assembly is carving a different path: linking leadership with women’s empowerment and grassroots partnerships.
His recent calls to support women-led small businesses echo the African proverb, when you empower a woman, you empower a nation.
With initiatives like the M-PESA Foundation’s Wezesha Mama program now reaching hundreds of women’s groups across Kenya, Wetang’ula’s voice sounds less like empty rhetoric and more like a bridge between policy and real progress.
This is not his first step in that direction.
Last year, Wetang’ula directed Parliament’s Social Protection Committee to oversee the Affirmative Action Fund after complaints about delays, insisting that women and vulnerable groups must not be locked out of opportunities.
In Kwale earlier this year he declared that empowering women is “not just a goal — it’s a commitment to unlocking the full potential of our communities.”
The digital age is amplifying this message.
Programs like Wezesha Mama not only offer financial grants but also business training, digital literacy and branding support.
For many women, that’s the difference between running a small kiosk and leading a thriving enterprise.
The challenge is bigger than speeches or grants. Disbursement delays, limited access to markets and structural barriers such as land ownership remain.
Wetang’ula’s next test lies in how Parliament and private sector partners can clear these bottlenecks.
Kenya has seen what happens when women are sidelined — entire communities stagnate.
By backing inclusive initiatives and insisting on accountability, Wetang’ula is reminding us that empowering women is not charity; it is strategy.
In that strategy lies a blueprint for resilient, self-sufficient communities that do not just survive but they lead.
