Ruth Habwe (died 1996) was a Kenyan activist and politician.

Early life and career

Habwe was a pioneer among those working to advance women's causes in Kenya. Trained as a teacher at the Kabete Teacher's Training College, she later attended the Jeanes School alongside

Margaret Koinange Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

and Muthoni Likmani. She was an early leader of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake, which she chaired from 1968 until 1971. During her tenure the organization passed resolutions calling for such things as more women on the faculty of the

University of Nairobi , mottoeng = In unity and work , image = Uon emblem.gif , image_size = 210px , caption = Coat of Arms of the University , type = Public , endowment ...

and for equal employment conditions. Habwe ran for

parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...

in 1964, one of few women to challenge the domination of men in that body. The decision was not without controversy; she failed to receive support from her political party, the

Kenyan African National Union The Kenya African National Union (KANU) is a Kenyan political party that ruled for nearly 40 years after Kenya's independence from British colonial rule in 1963 until its electoral loss in 2002. It was known as Kenya African Union (KAU) from 194 ...

, and so ran as an independent. This so incensed party leadership that she was expelled from its rolls. She was told, furthermore, by other MPs "to go back to the Kitchen and cook for Mr. Habwe's children". Habwe was a member of the

Luhya Luhya or Abaluyia may refer to: * Luhya people The Luhya (also known as ''Abaluyia'' or Luyia) comprise a number of Bantu ethnic groups native to western Kenya. They are divided into 20 culturally and linguistically related tribes. ''Luhya'' ref ...

tribe. She had five children.

References

Year of birth unknown 1996 deaths Kenyan women's rights activists Luhya people 20th-century Kenyan educators 20th-century Kenyan women politicians 20th-century Kenyan politicians Kenya African National Union politicians {{Kenya-bio-stub