First Lady Margaret Kenyatta today at State House Nairobi witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Beyond Zero and the Kenya School of Government (KSG) establishing the Margaret Kenyatta Institute for Gender and Social Development.
The MoU signed by the KSG Director General Professor Ludeki Chweya and Beyond Zero Coordinator Angella Langat paves the way for the creation of the new institution to be located at KSG’s main campus at Lower Kabete.
Speaking at the ceremony, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta said the collaboration between KSG and Beyond Zero had opened a new opportunity for the two organizations to jointly promote Kenya’s gender and social development agenda.
“The Memorandum of Understanding we have signed today strengthens the collaboration between our two organizations. This document creates an opportunity for us to jointly play a significant role in promoting our work on issues related to Kenya’s gender and social development agenda,” the First Lady said.
Through the new Margaret Kenyatta Institute, the First Lady said Beyond Zero and KSG will mount programmes that will empower women and girls to contribute more towards the attainment of national and global development goals.
“This MOU allows us to jointly utilize our collective knowledge and experience; to apply research, promote innovation, develop training and deliver outreach programs that will address issues that enable progress for our women,” the First Lady said.
She commended the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs for supporting her office in its efforts to advance Kenya’s Vision 2030 by ensuring women access opportunities for personal and collective progress.
The MOU was counter-signed by KSG’s Director of Administration Dr. Josephine Mwanzia and the Chief of Staff in the First Lady’s Office Ms Constance Gakonyo at the function also attended by Attorney General Justice Paul Kihara Kariuki whose office provided legal oversight and guidance in the formulation of the agreement.
In her remarks, Public Service CS Prof Margaret Kobia said the establishment of the Margaret Kenyatta Institute at KSG will strengthen capacity building in the public service, provide solutions to gender challenges and serve as a rich resource for the School and other learning institutions.
Prof Kobia pointed out that the collaboration between the two institutions through the institute will promote the national development blueprints including Vision 2030, the Big 4 Agenda, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063.
“All these broad aspirations touch on healthcare, education, poverty alleviation, climate change, inclusive development, gender parity and protection of the rights of persons with disability, women and children with special mention to the welfare of girls. What this means, Your Excellency, is that the work you have been involved in touches people’s hearts,” Prof Kobia said.
KSG Director General Prof Ludeki Chweya thanked First Lady Margaret Kenyatta for accepting KSG’s request to name the institute after her and to become its patron.
Prof Chweya noted that the signing of the MOU marks a turning point in the already flourishing partnership between Beyond Zero and KSG.
“The framework will henceforth guide our two institutions to achieve closer collaboration and beyond this, fulfill jointly agreed upon activities and programmes all of which seek to improve the social life of our citizens,” Prof Chweya said.
Through the Margaret Kenyatta Institute, Prof Chweya said Beyond Zero and KSG will collaborate in identifying specific areas for action covering training, research, consultancy, policy advisory services and community outreaches.
The ceremony was also attended by Chief Administrative Secretaries Rachael Shebesh and Jebii Kilimo among other senior Government officials.