In 1998, she became the first woman to hold the office of the president of the student body of Nairobi International School of Theology.

Today, Consolata is one of the many women who have dared to take the turbulent political waters head on, in a profession believed to be a preserve for men.

A win for her in Nairobi’s Makadara constituency would see her become the first woman member of parliament of the area.

With a bachelor of commerce degree in statistics and a career spanning more than twenty years, she is persuaded that time is ripe to embrace financial accountability in elective offices.

Connie as she is known by many is result oriented and believes that there is always a way forward for every situation.

She regards herself a jack of all trades having worked in the government as well as the private sector as a personal manager, auditor, executive director and managing director and is sure to restore sanity to political financial accountability her in constituency.

From her wealth of experience acquired in the numerous organizations she worked with, Connie exudes confidence in offering solutions to the issues affecting the welfare of her constituents whom she says have been getting a raw deal from previous holders of the office.

Although she held various leadership positions as a pupil and through to University level, she says her leadership capabilities became evident from the various positions she has held in the organizations she has worked.

She owns and heads a non-governmental organization, Emerging Leadership Initiatives, based in Makadara, where she is the Managing director. The organization has offices in Buruburu, Githurai and Meru.

A holder of a master’s degree in theology, she refers to her early childhood as a ‘humble’ beginning following the separation of her parents when she was only four.

Born fourth in a family of six, she was brought up by her grandmother and father who raised her up to whom she is grateful to.

Asked why she opted to engage in active politics at this point in time, a cool calm and collected Connie is quick to explain her bid to was stirred up by gross inequalities among the constituents and aggravated issues pertaining to good governance, accountability and progressive development which have been absent for years.

“I have lived and worked with the people of Makadara and I understand their immediate needs”, she says. “Having watched the inexcusable corruption trend take on, I decided to offer a solution”, she adds.

Thus, her bid for the race to parliament she says, has been progressive, although she made her final decision sometime was last year.

Her achievements

Her exposure in working for multinational companies, international organizations, non governmental organizations and the government of Kenya, she says has enabled her to be on the cutting edge.

Connie also boasts of diverse experiences springing from her enormous participation and involvement in a number of Programmes in her constituency which she banks on as her selling point to the electorate.

Apart from her involvement in organizing free medical camps and spearheading other, developmental initiatives, she has worked extensively with women and youth.

Through her organization she has initiated programs aimed at empowering the community especially those who are vulnerable.

Among key achievements, her organization has trained over 3,500 youths and women in hair and beauty skills, computer skills, weaving, leadership and entrepreneurial skills, some of whom she has helped start their own businesses under the banner, From Street Corners to Careers.

The organization also advances small loans to young aspiring entrepreneurs who lack capital.

“In 2004 I developed and launched the ‘Mentoring Mumz’ program that endeavors to recruit and mobilize women in Africa and engage them in a mentoring program with younger women”, she says.

The programme which targets to reach out to one million women has seen her travel to South Africa, Zambia and Uganda among other countries.

Consolata has been invited to speak in international, regional and local forums on youth issues and mentoring.

Her vision for Makadara

Consolata’s vision for Makadara is to see and empowered populace living in a secure environment and proper infrastructure run under a vibrant economy.

She also anticipates for an increase in the number of youths taking up jobs that have for long been held by ‘the older generation’ while the youths languish in poverty.

She is optimistic to achieve this by implementing a five year plan that is pegged on accountability of the available resources. Nevertheless, “Accountability should not only be on paper as it calls s for each person to bring value to leadership”, she says.

Top on her agenda once in office is to foster the development of human resource, good governance and accountability, infrastructure and IT, gender and development and the environmental management.

She is categorical that she is the agent of change. “I stand for integrity and taking leadership into accountability”, she says.

Challenges

Although her political career is still at infancy, Connie has already met numerous challenges which she has had to settle with integrity.

Her major challenge was the threat of bias that would inhibit a fair nomination process. It is on this ground that she defected from Narc Kenya to Agano party in search for fair platform for a fair trial at the ballot, where she was not only a member but also the human resource development secretary in the party’s National election committee.

It is her belief in fairness that made her settle Agano which according to her advocates for fairness and transparency.

Her other great challenge has been finances which are crucial to keep the campaigns rolling.

She has also received indirect threats on three occasions from an opponent’s supporter who has accused her of splitting the constituency’s votes. Nonetheless, no amount of threatening will compel her to withdraw from the race.

This however does not stop her from pursuing her goal. “It is appalling that women should be threatened and intimidated for what belongs to us”, she said.

A born again Christian and believer, She is not intimidated by the number of contestants the office has attracted. The mother of three is confident of a sure win.