Many people in Nyeri town know her as Mama Maua. She gets standing ovations for her dedication to make Nyeri Municipality a better place for all.

Mrs. Elizabeth Wairimu Wamunyu is her real name. Mama Maua is a name coined for her campaign to beautify Nyeri town through planting of flowers, trees and construction of several parks with nice benches to rest on during her tenure as nominated councilor in Nyeri Municipal council.

The saying that “Actions speaks louder than words” fits Mrs Wamunyu than many other people in the area.

The parks that are today the admiration of Nyeri town residents are a product of her work for the five years when she was the chairman environment in Nyeri council. The beauty of flowers and cleanliness of Nyeri town has a lot to do with her. It has not been easy for her to turn Nyeri town into one of the cleanest towns in the country.

However, despite the obstacles, her efforts earned Nyeri Municipal Council an award of being the cleanest town in the country.

Mrs. Wamunyu is now seeking the support of Nyeri town residents to empower her and continue with her work with more energy. She believes that as an elected councilor for Central Ward, she will be more empowered to serve the residents without fear or favour. “An elected councilor is more empowered unlike nominated councilor.

She says she will be contesting Central ward civic seat on strength of what she has already done . “I want to e elected, not just because I am a learned woman, but because I can deliver results as I have done in the past.”, she said during the interview with the press.  Her agenda for the ward is at the back of her hand.

At Kangemi in the outskirt of Nyeri town I, Mrs Wamuyu targets improvement of the road from Nyeri Provincial General Hospital (PGH) to River Chania. “I will also ensure that streets lights are installed along the estate to enhance the escalating insecurity. Bushes will be cleared to make the estate attractive to all” she says. She intends to invite other like minded partners to build a permanent bridge across river Chania. “We hear of people drowning as they close the river going to work in the coffee estates. This should not happen any more once I get there in the council”.

The former teacher also plans to put up a small park with benches and beautiful flowers for the residents of Kangemi to go and relax. “With security and good roads, tents will move to the estate and landlords will get value for their investments.” She said she has similar plans for Ngangarithi estate which includes proper murraming of roads, installation of street lights and removal of hips of garbage which are perpetual in the area. Trees will be planted to make the area attractive for investment. “I believe in parks and I will look for a place to put up one at Ngangarithi so that people can have a pace to rest and socialize.” She said.

In the central business district, the lone lady in Central ward political battle field said she intends to prioritize putting up of public toilets. “People should not be forced to walk long distances looking for toilets, they pay council levies and should be provided with such services,” she said.

During an exclusive interview with the press, Mrs. Wamunyu promised special designed toilets for the disabled once she gets in the council. She says that once the town is clean, it will attract investors and tourists. “We will attract more visitors during occasions such as founder’s day and those touring Mount Kenya and Abardare Ranges. To achieve this, Mrs. Wamuyu intends to bring the business community on board and involve them in making the town a business and tourist hub.

Mrs. Elizabeth Wamuyu believes in working with the people to achieve major goals. “I believe in order to achieve one should involve the communities to make life better for all.” She says.

The former teacher says that he will involve other stakeholders to meet her dream for central ward residents” I will have a committee in every part of the ward to oversee development activities which we shall undertake.” She added. “If it is murraming of roads in Kangemi and other parts of Central ward where I will be representing, a committee elected by the local people will oversee the work, I will only be negotiating on their behalf at the council”, she said.

I will be attending community meetings to discuss problems and seek solutions with them,” she said. Mrs. Wamuyu says that though there are a lot of funds meant community development, a lot of people are unaware of the existence of such funds. She says that her efforts will be directed to activities geared towards poverty eradication in the area. “There is a lot we can do, such as piggery, rabbit keeping which has ready market and chicken rearing”, she says. There is market for every product including mushrooms and goat milk; she says that Farmers Choice Company is not meeting the demand of this region. The aspirants plan to take members of the youth and women groups to other part of the country for them to learn from others. If elected in central ward, Mrs Wamunyu will keep history as the first woman to be elected as councilor in Nyeri since independence.