NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8 – Women leaders should move beyond securing positions of influence and focus on using their platforms to create opportunities and build institutions that benefit future generations, Lapid Leaders Africa Founder and CEO Esther Mwaniki has said.

📻 Breaking It Down

Mwaniki said representation remains important but should not be treated as the ultimate measure of progress for women in leadership.

Speaking on The Jam show on Capital FM, Mwaniki said women who gain access to decision-making spaces must also consider the impact of their work and what they leave behind.

“Yes, that is so important, especially for women. For a long time, conversations for women have been about representation,” she said.

📌 What You Need to Know

She said the focus should shift from simply having women in politics, technology, healthcare and other sectors to asking what they accomplish once they occupy those positions.

“We think that’s not enough. It is not enough for us to just talk about Women’s Rep, women in tech, women in healthcare. The question is, what happens when women are on the table?” she said.

Mwaniki was speaking ahead of the Women of Purpose Summit 2026, scheduled for Friday at Emara Ole-Sereni in Nairobi under the theme “Beyond Representation.”

The summit will bring together women leaders from technology, healthcare, finance, education, legal services and business to discuss how leadership can be used to strengthen institutions and create opportunities.

Mwaniki described purpose-driven leadership as the intersection of leadership excellence and collective impact.

“You lead well. You go to spaces, you lead with excellence. But you also ask, ‘What’s the impact of my work?’” she said.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya