SPEECH BY H.E.

MARGARET KENYATTA, THE FIRST LADY

OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA DURING THE WOMEN IN
BUSINESS DINNER IN HONOUR OF H.E. PRESIDENT
ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
OF LIBERIA, AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KENYA,
NAIROBI ON 14TH DECEMBER, 2015 FROM 6.30PM.
Thank you CS
introduction

Amina Mohamed for

the

wonderful

Your Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the

Republic of Liberia,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honour for me to speak to you tonight.
Your Excellency, let me start by first welcoming you back home.
Kenya is like your second home, having lived and worked in
Nairobi as Vice President of African regional office of Citibank
between 1981 and 1985 before returning to your country to join
politics.
Your Excellency, this evening we celebrate the great strides
that Kenyan women have made in business and more so the
contributions women continue to make to the socio economic
development of the African continent.
Women have broken down barriers and entered into sectors
that in the past have been dominated by men. The impacts
made by women in the corporate and business world have
been recognised most recently in the Top 40 Women under 40.

We recognise the role that Kenya Association of Manufacturers

and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance have been playing
towards these efforts. I hope that our young women will be
inspired to emulate these successes.
In Kenya, the new constitution of 2010 provides an enabling
environment for businesses initiated and driven by women to
thrive. It also empowers women entrepreneurs by providing
them with easily accessible financial incentives trough the
Women Enterprise Fund.
As well, the procurement regulation that allocates 30 per cent
economic opportunities to the youth allows female driven startups to succeed.
We laud the Government for opening space for our women to
operate in a fair, friendly and favourable environment socially,
politically and more importantly, economically.
Your Excellency we must recognise your sterling role as the first
African Woman President and the successes you have made in
steering Liberia over the past nine years. Your leadership has
been tested and we have seen your determination in the face
of a devastating virus, Ebola that recently hit your country. We
are proud of the contribution we made as Kenyans to combat
this deadly scourge.
Your Excellency, we are aware that Liberia applied to join the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2007 and it is expected that
your country will be presented with the approval during the
upcoming tenth WTO Ministerial Conference taking place in
Nairobi from 15th to 18th December, 2015. It is probably not a
coincidence that this is happening in Kenya which has been a
home to you.

The award that we are presenting to you this evening is our

way of recognising you as a business role-model not only in
Liberia but also in Africa. We are also saying Karibu Kenya.
It is now my honour and privilege to present you with the Kenya
Business Community: Socio Economic and Sustainable
Development Award 2015 for your contribution in championing
the cause for women in business in Liberia and in Africa.
Finally, let me say we are humbled to host you this evening and
wish you well in all your future endeavours as you lead your
country to greater heights of prosperity.
I thank you.