For decades, Africa has celebrated the election of women presidents as historic milestones. But should women’s leadership still be considered exceptional?
In her contribution to Women in Geopolitics, Amb. Dr. Esther Waringa challenges Africa to move beyond celebrating individual success stories and begin building the systems that make women’s leadership both possible and sustainable.
Her message is clear: the issue is not whether African women are capable of leading, it is whether our political, economic and institutional systems genuinely enable them to do so.
Dr. Waringa highlights the barriers that continue to limit women’s participation in presidential politics. From unequal access to campaign financing and capital, to cultural stereotypes, media bias and political intimidation, many women continue to face obstacles that extend far beyond individual ambition.
Yet she refuses to see these barriers as reasons to retreat.
Instead, she calls on women to rise with confidence and purpose.
“The kitchen is a beautiful place. I love the kitchen, but let’s get to the next level of influencing our continental leadership.”
For Dr. Waringa, women bring a distinctive leadership perspective rooted in accountability, compassion and responsibility. She believes that stronger female representation at the highest levels of government can help advance priorities such as universal education, child welfare, economic stability and inclusive development.
But achieving this vision requires more than individual determination.
She calls upon the African Union to move beyond policy commitments and accelerate implementation of existing frameworks such as the Maputo Protocol and Agenda 2063, strengthen political party reforms, improve campaign financing mechanisms for women, establish protection against gender-based political violence and invest in leadership development for future women Heads of State.
Her vision is bold but practical.
She imagines an Africa where women presidents are no longer viewed as exceptions, but as a natural and accepted part of democratic leadership.
As she concludes, the goal is simple: “Let us commit that within the next generation of leaders, it will no longer be remarkable to see a woman president—but it will simply be normal.”
For Dr. Waringa, the future of Africa depends not only on electing more women leaders, but on creating the systems that allow them to lead successfully.
“Women have a special place in the heart of God.” She believes.
The Women in Geopolitics Debate Series is a high-level thought-leadership platform dedicated to amplifying African voices, particularly women’s voices, in conversations on geopolitics, global affairs, governance, leadership and development.
Through dialogue with women leaders, diplomats, policymakers, business leaders, academics and experts from across Africa and beyond, the programme is building a growing archive of African women’s perspectives on the issues shaping our continent and our world.
We invite you to visit the Women in Geopolitics Knowledge Hub on YouTube, explore previous conversations and subscribe as we unveil a new voice every day throughout August:
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Madelein Mkunu is the President of Leading Women of Africa (LWA), a Pan-African social enterprise promoting women's leadership in economic development, and the founder of Beyond Boundaries, a global content and advocacy platform amplifying African women’s voices in policy, peacebuilding, and development. A bilingual English–French strategist and accomplished public speaker, she brings over 20 years of experience in gender mainstreaming, inclusive governance, and stakeholder engagement across Africa and globally. She holds an MBA and a Master’s in Management from IEDC-Bled School of Management (Slovenia), a Postgraduate Degree in Development Studies from the University of the Western Cape (South Africa), a Certificate in Leadership from the Dale Carnegie Institute, and is an alumna of Michigan State University’s Women Empowerment Programme. With a background in accounting and a passion for transformative change, Madelein is a trusted advisor to institutions seeking Africa-rooted development solutions.
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