Youthful CAS Nadia dedicates appointment to ailing mother
When President Uhuru Kenyatta announced changes in his Cabinet on Tuesday, Nadia Ahmed Abdalla, was having an early lunch, unaware she was one of the new entrants into the government.
The 28-year-old says her friend called her and informed her the President had read her name in his speech.
That is how Nadia got to know that she had been appointed ICT ministry Chief Administrative Secretary.
Still in a celebratory mood, she dedicated her appointment to her mother, who she said is battling cancer.
“I’m still so excited. My mum has been fighting cancer for the last two years and she has always told me to work hard and be self-independent.
So I feel this appointment is in her honour because she keeps me strong,” she said.
Nadia, who is among seven youthful appointees in the Tuesday Cabinet reshuffle, was one of women who took part in KTN’s reality TV contest dubbed Ms President.
Nadia was working as a tourism officer at the Mombasa county government. Governor Hassan Joho congratulated her for appointment.
She pledges to give her best in her new position, adding that she is determined to serve Kenyans.
Nadia says her parents have played a big role in her success, describing her father as a disciplinarian who pushed her and her siblings to explore their potential.
“For my father, it’s another feather in my cap because he has been so tough on me.
I have had fight with him before. At one point, I had to do a whole presentation to him so that he could allow me to do what I wanted to do. My dad is a tough man who encourages his children to be independent,” said Nadia.
Mother’s honour
She revealed how the last two years have been hard for her family as her mother was in and out of hospital.
“I will work hard in my mother’s honour. People have been asking me how I take care of her and work at the same time,” said Nadia.
But what elevated Nadia to her current appointment? Besides the Ms President show, is an author of a book titled The Feminist in us.
She invokes the names of environmentalist Prof Wangari Maathai and Narc Kenya politician Martha Karua as some of the women who inspired her.
“My message to young people out there is, don’t ever doubt yourself. You have so much to offer to the community, what you need to do is to look deep inside and focus on yourself and be unapologetic about what you want for yourself,” said Nadia.
She is a public relations practitioner and holds a Masters in International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy from Hochschule Furtwangen University in Germany.
Nadia describes herself as a global communication specialist, lifestyle and inspirational blogger and an active female empowerment activist.
She is also a member of Swahilipot Hub, a community centre that focuses on youths mainly around technology and art. Nadia is also a Unicef volunteer.
In her book, she exudes the values of feminism saying she is “tired of people rejecting the feminist movement and building up misconceptions on something that is needed to elevate women.”
She has used her real life experiences, quotes from men and women from different parts of the world to express her thoughts in the hope of changing people’s minds and give them a clear understanding and appreciation of the feminism.
In the book, the CAS appointee talks about issues of gender bashing, sexual abuse and domestic violence that face women, expression and feminism and promotion of self-love.
Congratulating her, Joho said: “As a county we are proud of you. It is our hope that you will use the same intellect, zeal and wisdom that you served the people of Mombasa with to serve the nation.”
Other youthful CAS appointees include Zack Kinuthia (Education), Mercy Mukui (Health) and Ann Mukami.
