PEOPLE | interview May 2023 www.womanthismonth.com 84 DEVELOPING A GREATER LIAISON Amongst the plethora of displays at the Bahrain International Garden Show, held at Exhibition World Bahrain recently, one in particular caught our eye. The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in the State of Kuwait, which also holds accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain, showcased Kenya’s famous heritage, art, tourism and of course, its wonderful tea and coffee! Woman This Month was invited to speak to the Ambassador, Her Excellency Halima A. Mohamud, to find out more about the country’s wonderful African culture, the current state of diplomatic relations between Kenya and Bahrain, and how the Embassy helps the blossoming Kenyan community in the Kingdom. Your Excellency, could you give our readers a brief on your political career? My journey in public life started from my early years at university when I was a student leader. The 2010 Kenyan Constitution ushered in new opportunities for Kenyan women, youth and other marginalised communities, ensuring equal opportunities through the application of the 2/3rd Gender Rule and Affirmative Action in leadership positions. I began working for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on issues of good governance and educating citizens on the constitution. It is during this period that I developed a passion for politics and was nominated to the Senate in 2013. I actively took part in parliamentary debates and participated in drafting various pieces of legislation that improved the governance in the country. Subsequently, in 2019, I was appointed Kenya’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait with multiple accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of Lebanon. It has been a most fulfilling duty thus far. How many Kenyans are currently residing in Bahrain and the wider region, and has this number grown in recent years? We estimate that there are approximately 6,000 Kenyans in Bahrain and 250,000 Kenyans in the wider Gulf region. The number had gradually increased over the last few years, however, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted labour markets all over the world. Despite this, there are positive indications that the numbers may begin to rise again, especially if a structured engagement of managing employment and labour export between the two countries is put into place.
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