Senator Hezena Lemaletian on Friday launched the first-ever Maa Boy Child Summit, calling it a long-overdue intervention to address the neglect of the boy child in Kenya’s development agenda.
Speaking at the high-profile gathering under the Hezena Lemaletian Foundation, the nominated senator for Samburu County said the time had come to act decisively for boys who have long felt overlooked.“After years of empowering the girl child, we realized the boy child had been neglected,” she said.
“Hearing countless concerns from the boys I represent in the Senate, I decided to take action to make them feel involved, empowered, and equipped to shape their futures.”
The event drew leaders from government, private sector, and civil society, all aligned in the call for gender-balanced progress and inclusive development.
Senator Hezena emphasized that the summit was only the beginning of a wider movement: “Today, we begin with the Maa community, but our vision extends nationwide and regionally. For the first time, the boy child will feel seen, represented, and valued.”
Echoing her sentiments, Diamond Trust Bank’s Human Resource Director Lilian Ngala urged corporates to support initiatives that offer boys equal opportunities to succeed.“We must move beyond single-gender initiatives,” she said.
“Today, we celebrate these young men, giving them visibility, hope, and the belief that they, too, can succeed. We must step out of our boardrooms and engage directly with these boys, guiding them through today’s competitive job market.”
Representing the Executive Office of the President, Moses Olekaria described the summit as a game-changer for the country’s youth.
“This is a historic moment. Empowering the boy child doesn’t mean leaving the girl child behind it completes our nation’s development circle,” he said.
He commended Senator Hezena for mobilizing boys from six counties — Baringo, Narok, Kajiado, Samburu, and Laikipia and urged for national expansion of the initiative.With this landmark summit, Kenya has opened a new chapter in its push for inclusive empowerment.
