[Sophia Abdi Noor. She won Ijara MP seat on a PDR ticket. Photo/Nation.)
Sophia Abdi Noor is the first woman from North Eastern region to be elected to Parliament.
She vied on a PDR ticket and defeated her closest rival incumbent Ahmed Ibrahim Abass with about 300 votes.
She garnered 6, 001 while Ahmed got 5,705 votes.
Communities in North Eastern have not valued women leadership due to their religion and culture.
No woman has ever been held an elective position since Kenya got independence from the region.Noor faced of with Abdi Aden Korio of Wiper who got 5141 votes, Muktar Bulale of Labour party who garnered 488, and Abdikadir Ibrahim of KANU who garnered 109 votes.Noor is a founder member of ‘Womankind Kenya’ a group that advocates for girls education and women issues in the region.
She was first nominated to parliament by ODM in 2007.
Negotiated democracy has taken over politics in the Northern Kenya with elders choosing who to contest.