On 3^rd August 2022, KEPSA hosted an appreciation breakfast for Prof Margaret Kobia, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs & Special Programmes at a Nairobi hotel.

This was in recognition of the support and collaboration her office has given to the private sector in efforts that have seen the achievement of numerous milestones on matters of gender diversity and inclusion, during her tenure in the ministry. 

Led by the CEO Ms Carole Kariuki, other KEPSA leaders at the event included, Ms Eva Muraya, Director, Gender & SME; Ms Mucha Mlingo, Chair Gender Sector Board; Ms Mercy Okiro, Vice-Chair Gender Sector Board; Mr Felix Ndunda, Supplier Diversity Sub-sector Lead; Ms Jane Waithera from Persons With Disability Sub-sector, among other invited guests.

Speakers at the event lauded Prof Kobia's leadership at the Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs & Special Programmes Ministry that saw the prioritization of several agendas including Leadership, Socio-economic advancement, Gender Based Violence as well as the general safety and security of women and girls in the country.

"The work began around 2009 at KEPSA and these conversations eventually culminated in the State Department of Gender in the Ministry. During this time, we have seen that in working together, we can indeed achieve much. So today we celebrate Prof. Kobia because it is a lot of work that she has done in expanding the shoes on gender matters," said Ms Kariuki.

Prof Kobia served as the Chairperson of the Kenya Public Service Commission, from December 2012 until January 2018 when she was appointed CS by H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta. She was accompanied by Prof Colleta Suda, Principal Secretary, State Department of Gender and Ms Faith Kasiva, Secretary, Gender Affairs.

"We are here to celebrate and reflect on the milestones that we have achieved together as KEPSA Gender Sector Board and the State Department of Gender under CS Prof Kobia. We have five sub-sectors that are well aligned with the work that we do and each of the interventions we have is very much aligned to our gender mainstreaming policy, which we launched with your support earlier this year," said Ms Mucha Mlingo.

In her remarks, Prof Kobia thanked KEPSA for the recognition adding that working with the private sector has been an inspiration and a learning opportunity as a public servant.

"To have come this far in our ministry, we have a big team that delivers as one because Gender is everybody's affair. We thank the private sector because they chipped in to help the Government tackle and respond to many challenges we face as a nation. None of us has all the solutions but together, I can say we have been able to address many of them," she said.

Prof Kobia encouraged young people and especially professionals in the private sector across the gender divide to seek out opportunities to serve in public service which she said was a good experience outside of the private sector.

Kenya, she added supported by partners such as KEPSA has made great strides in the advancement of gender affairs. Prof. Kobia singled out the Judiciary which she said had done well in closing the gender gap, saying much more work was still needed in improving the inclusion of women in Parliament and political spaces in society.

"We need to support the women who have come up to vie for elective positions this year. Social-economic development is also very key because if we really want women to make progress, we must take them out of poverty. In these (efforts), the private sector role is critical as it serves as a reminder on gender advancement gaps whenever the institutions mandated with the same mandate lag.," she said.

Ms Eva Muraya said the private sector was keen on deepening the engagement with the Ministry in advancing some of the work already commenced under Prof. Kobia's leadership to achieve more inclusion and diversity.

"It is during Prof Kobia's tenure that we saw first Supplier Diversity Summit, first Gender Mainstreaming Policy launched; moving to top 60 ranking in gender advancement globally; access to financial markets and credit for women; The first woman Chief Justice and much more, on behalf of the Gender Sector Board, we are truly indebted," she said. 

Notably, in June this year, KEPSA through the Gender Sector Board was recognized by the African Union (AU) and UN Women for its role in the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment and consequently awarded the Private Sector Award. This was alongside H.E. President Kenyatta who received the African Gender Award 2022 and the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW), which received the Civil Society Award.

The event concluded with participants committing to preach peace before, during and after the general elections while adopting the Mkenya Daima call to action 'Nitatenda Wajibu Wangu.'