Senegal leads West Africa in women MPs

Women occupy 44% of the newly elected legislatureImage caption: Women occupy 44% of the newly elected legislature

Senegal now has the highest proportion of female MPs in West Africa.

Following July's elections, 73 out of 165 parliamentary seats are held by women. By comparison, women hold just 4% of parliamentary seats in Nigeria and 26% in Niger.

Senegal ranks fourth in Africa and 18th in the world for gender parity in parliament, ahead of Switzerland, France, Britain, and the US, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva.

A 2010 law requiring “absolute gender parity” in all elective institutions is the driving force behind the country’s high share of women in office.

According to a UN report, outside Senegal, only 15 of 111 elected or appointed parliamentary or ministerial positions were filled by women in West Africa and the Sahel between December and June.

From a house help to the governor in Kenya

BBCCopyright: BBC

Kawira Mwangaza now holds a powerful and influential job as a county governorImage caption: Kawira Mwangaza now holds a powerful and influential job as a county governor

One of Kenya's seven recently elected female governors has revealed she dropped out of high school temporarily as a teenager to work as a domestic worker.

Kawira Mwangaza, who has just been sworn in as the new governor of Meru county, said it happened when she was aged around 14 because her family was poor.

“I worked as a house help for almost a year. It was difficult but I knew deep down I was born a winner,” the politician, who is in her late forties, told the BBC.

“I never gave up hope that one day I would escape from the claws of poverty and succeed in life.”

House helpers in Kenya are often underpaid and work for long hours in an unregulated industry.

But her determination saw her through and she went back to school the next year - and then went on to fund her college education with proceeds from a small business.

After becoming a successful businesswoman, Ms. Mwangaza became interested in politics in 2013, running unsuccessfully for parliament.

Four years later she was triumphant after being elected as county woman representative - a special seat aimed at increasing female representation in parliament.

She has gone on to prove her political clout, by trouncing political bigwig Kiraitu Murungi, who was seeking a second term in office as governor.

Her campaign drew large crowds as she would bring her husband Mwarega Baichu, a musician and producer, along to rallies where he would entertain supporters on his guitar.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Ms. Mwangaza's husband Mwarega Baichu would entertain crowds with his guitar image caption: Ms. Mwangaza's husband Mwarega Baichu would entertain crowds with his guitar

Female politicians in Kenya often experience sexism and bullying and very few hold elective positions.