Breaking barriers: The headmistress who traded classrooms for county assembly
Esther Serem, the Siyoi Ward MCA during the interview on June18, 2025 at her home in Kapenguria, West-Pokot. She is one of the two female MCAs who were elected in the 2022 elections in West-Pokot.
What you need to know:
- Esther Serem shocked her community in 2017 when she resigned as a headmistress to run for political office in West-Pokot County.
- Despite facing ridicule, propaganda claiming she had "bewitched" her husband, and losing her first election, she persevered and in 2022 became the first woman ever elected as MCA for Siyoi Ward, defeating six men.
At 5am, whilst most of her constituents are still asleep, Esther Serem is already preparing breakfast for her family and getting her grandchildren ready for school. By 11pm, after a full day at the County Assembly, she's still in the kitchen preparing supper. This is the reality of being a trailblazing female politician in a community where women are expected to be everything to everyone—except leaders.
Yet here she stands: the first woman ever elected to represent Siyoi Ward, a breakthrough that shattered decades of patriarchal political dominance in West-Pokot County.
The journey to her homestead in the sprawling highlands of Kapenguria—15km along earthen roads flanked by flourishing maize crops—mirrors her own path: challenging terrain, but ultimately rewarding. When we arrive after a 20-minute drive, her warm greeting of "Welcome home" immediately reveals why her community chose to trust her with their future.
But Esther's story begins not with political ambition, but with a shocking resignation that left everyone wondering if she'd lost her mind.
What made her abandon a secure teaching career for the unpredictable world of politics? Esther explains that witnessing the suffering of her community whilst working as a teacher ignited her desire to seek leadership.
"I saw the challenges that women and girls were going through, walking for long distances to fetch water. I was not happy with the pathetic road network, and I wanted to change the face of our schools—particularly the Early Childhood Development centres that were in deplorable conditions," she reveals.
In 2017, Esther shocked her family, colleagues, and friends when she resigned from her position as head teacher to run for the Siyoi Ward seat in Kapenguria Constituency. Having been a teacher for 31 years, many people expected her to retire within the profession.
"Many people thought I was out of my mind to resign from a government job and plunge into the murky waters of politics, whose outcome was far from assured in such a patriarchal community. However, I stood my ground and took early retirement," she recalls.
After months of vigorous campaigning, Esther felt disappointed when she eventually lost the election. However, this setback did not extinguish the burning leadership desire within her.
Come 2022, she threw her hat into the ring once again—and this time, fortune favoured her efforts.
Esther teaching one of the classes in her school in this picture taken on June18, 2025 in Kapenguria, West-Pokot.
Her win was decisive. She beat her closest challenger by more than 1,000 votes, becoming one of only two female MCAs elected in 2022 amongst the 20 wards that make up West-Pokot County.
"I defeated the man who was the incumbent MCA during the nominations for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). At the ballot, I beat six men and one woman to clinch the seat. It was the happiest moment of my life. It was such an honour that the people had elected me as a woman to represent them in a community that has been very patriarchal," Esther tells Nation.
The mother of five, however, reveals that securing the seat was far from easy. She faced numerous challenges on the campaign trail simply for being a woman candidate.
"I faced the stereotypes associated with women's leadership. I was told to my face that as a woman, I would not make it to the seat. Other people circulated propaganda that I had bewitched my husband—that this was why he had allowed me to join politics. I appreciate my husband for not listening to them, and I thank my family—my parents and siblings—for trusting and supporting me," she adds.
The huge amount of money required for campaign financing presented another significant challenge. Raising funds to mount a formidable campaign proved a tall order, forcing her to turn to relatives and friends for assistance.
"Financial constraints are a major reason why women in the Pokot community shy away from seeking political offices. The vastness of the area means you need substantial money to fund your campaign. I thank God that my husband supported me in this cause. I also had support from men with whom I worked whilst I was a teacher," Esther explains.
Balancing her political activities with family responsibilities during the campaign was another major challenge. Campaign meetings often extended late into the night, seeing her return home deep in the night.
Juggling roles
Despite being an MCA she still manages most domestic duties traditionally associated with women.
"My day normally starts at 5am when I wake up, prepare breakfast for the family, and get my grandchildren ready for school. I then head to the assembly before coming back home in the evening to prepare supper for my family. My day normally ends at 11pm," says the mother of five, who is married to a retired military officer.
Nearly three years after being elected to office, Esther takes pride in several developmental achievements within her community. She lists improved road networks, several water projects, and sanitary towel programs for schoolgirls amongst her key accomplishments.
The MCA explains that she has been undertaking these development projects in conjunction with the county government. Through these initiatives, women can now access water without walking long distances, significantly easing their burden.
With the improved road network, locals are happier, and women spend less time travelling to markets and taking their children to hospital.
As chairperson of the Education Committee in the County Assembly, Esther reveals they have developed a bill on bursaries and infrastructure that, once passed into law, will make it mandatory for the county government to allocate bursaries to disadvantaged pupils and students, and to build school infrastructure.
The MCA also serves as a member of the Health, Trade, and Appointment committees in the assembly.
A trained teacher by profession, Esther holds a degree in Education from Kenyatta University, a diploma in Management, and another diploma in Child Development. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Management at Kisii University.
She taught for 31 years—15 of which she served as deputy head teacher and seven as head teacher. Prior to her resignation, she had just been promoted and was serving as a curriculum support officer for one year.
Having been a teacher for more than three decades, Esther established The Cranes School a few years ago. The school, which currently has 300 pupils, admits children from the community and beyond. During her free time, the MCA occasionally steps into the classroom to teach.
Inspiring the next generation
To women harbouring political ambitions, the MCA advises them to step forward and run for political seats in the upcoming 2027 elections.
She encourages them not to fear that their reputations will be tarnished on social media by opponents, explaining that the people they seek to lead are intelligent enough to read between the lines and distinguish lies from truth.
Through her journey from classroom to county assembly, she stands as a beacon of hope for women across Kenya, proving that with determination, community support, and unwavering belief in one's vision, even the most entrenched barriers can be broken.
As our interview concludes, Esther reveals that her political ambitions extend beyond her current role as MCA. Her plan is to eventually contest for the Kapenguria Parliamentary seat to represent her community in the National Assembly.
She expresses satisfaction that her community, which has for decades been constrained by patriarchy, is slowly changing and embracing women's leadership.