Most Powerful and Influential Young Women in Kenya

In compiling our short list of Kenya's most influential young women, we consider accolades and accomplishments across various disciplines, national and global impact through social media and overall visibility and ability to drive news.

We also consider the ability to impact the youth not just in Kenya but globally. Our particular interest in this list stems from the many accomplishments and advancements made by Kenyan women over the last decade.

Here’s who made this year’s cut

​Ory Okolloh

Ory Okolloh (or Ory Okolloh Mwangi) is a Kenyan activist, lawyer, and blogger. She is Director of Investments at Omidyar Network. She was formerly the Policy Manager for Africa with Google.

In 2006 she co-founded the parliamentary watchdog site Mzalendo (Swahili: "Patriot"). The site sought to increase government accountability by systematically recording bills, speeches, MPs, standing orders, etc.

When Kenya was engulfed in violence following a disputed presidential election in 2007, Okolloh helped create Ushahidi (Swahili: "Witness"), a website that collected and recorded eyewitness reports of violence using text messages and Google Maps.

The technology has since been adapted for other purposes (including monitoring elections and tracking pharmaceutical availability) and used in a number of other countries.

Okolloh has a personal blog, Kenyan Pundit, which was featured on Global Voices Online. (Source: Wikipedia)

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Julie Gichuru

Julie Gathoni Sumira Gichuru (born 7 January 1974) is a Kenyan journalist and news anchor formerly worked for Royal Media Services as Group Digital Business Manager and talk show host. She's now at KBC.

She is of mixed race, with her father’s family originally from Kashmir and her mother’s family from Kiambu. Her grandfather was born in Kabete. She lived along Wanyee Road in Dagoretti, Nairobi, in her early childhood. Gichuru holds an LLB Law and an MBA from Cardiff Law School University of Wales and Cardiff Business School University of Wales (Source: Wikipedia)

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Olga Kimani-Arara

Kiman Arara is known as an intelligent corporate woman. She is well respected by all the companies she has worked for. She is a Microsoft Certifies System engineer, holding an MBA in Engineering Business Management from Manchester Business School.

She left Google last year to pursue other interests, not to forget that she was a senior executive at Safaricom.

#RebeccaMichael