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At the University of Nairobi’s Department of Chemistry, Dr. Joyce G. N. Kithure is often described as a scientist with uncommon clarity of purpose, a woman determined to place science at the centre of solving some of the most pressing challenges of our generation. A PhD holder and respected academic, she has built her career on confronting issues ranging from food insecurity to global warming, while championing girls and women who aspire to enter Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
Her influence, however, extends far beyond academia. As the spouse of Kenya’s Deputy President and the nation’s Second Lady, Dr. Kithure has been widely praised for using her platform to elevate scientific thinking, community resilience, and women’s empowerment. She has become a national voice arguing that Africa’s future, its economies, its food systems, its climate response, will depend on how boldly it invests in science and in the women capable of driving it.
That conviction shaped her keynote on Thursday evening at the Fairmont the Norfolk, as she addressed the inaugural Women’s Empowerment Gala and Dinner Awards (FLAIR). She opened simply: “This is a visionary initiative of the University of Nairobi, and a bold step-forward in redefining what leadership looks like on our continent.”
She described FLAIR as a continental catalyst. “FLAIR is more than a program. It is a movement, a high-level, multi-sectoral platform designed to inspire, empower, and foster innovation among Africa’s First Ladies and visionary women.”
The theme, “From Influence to Impact: Advancing Resilience and Economic Inclusion,” she said, is “a blueprint” for long-term transformation, one demanding collaboration across government, academia, industry, civil society, and youth.
Her message, grounded in years of work mentoring young scientists, carried urgency. “When a girl is given access to education, mentorship, resources, and opportunity, she does not just change her story, she changes the story of everyone around her,” she said.
To Dr. Kithure, this is not theory. It is strategy, a pathway to a continent where science guides policy, shapes innovation, and secures the future.“
Empowering women is not an event it is a continuous commitment,” she reminded the room.
Her closing words echoed the mission that defines her public and scientific life: “Your work matters. Your voice matters. Your leadership matters… because when they succeed, we all succeed.”
