Gladys Madere Analo is the only woman that was elected as a Member of the County Assembly (MCA) in Vihiga County during the August General Election.
She was elected to represent Busali ward, in Sabatia Constituency on an Amani National Congress (ANC) party ticket.
Mrs. Analo garnered 2, 781 to beat the her competitors who were all men.
It took her ten years to be able to carry the tag of an elected MCA today. Her journey in politics started way back in 2007 when she was nominated as a councilor in the defunct local authority.
“In 2007, I was nominated a councilor by the Orange Democratic Party (ODM) after running various errands for the party in Sabatia Constituency, among them being an agent during the 2007 General Election,” she recalls.
Mrs. Analo ran for the MCA seat in Busali ward in 2013 and finished second, behind Mr. Benedict Kiwanuka Kilaya. She was then nominated MCA by the defunct United Democratic Forum (UDF) party.
“Being a nominated MCA is not a good thing. Your elected colleagues mock and call you demeaning names such as a flower girl. Nominated MCAs should be strong in order to survive. Their focus should be on serving the people and not the side-shows,” she said.
As a nominated MCA, she served in the speaker’s panel, besides managing to push for various legislations.
The 51 year old trained accountant has been married for 30 years, and blessed with five children who are now adults.