Veteran women’s rights champion receives standing ovation as decades of public service and grassroots leadership are celebrated.
There are moments when an award transcends recognition and becomes a tribute from an entire nation. That was the scene at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa Auditorium as Hon. Zipporah J. Kittony, EGH, affectionately known as Mama Zipporah, received the 2026 BOBEA Lifetime Achievement Award to a prolonged standing ovation.
The emotional ceremony saw hundreds of guests—including senior government officials, diplomats, business leaders, civil society representatives and her extended family—rise to honour a woman whose leadership has shaped the lives of countless Kenyans, particularly women and marginalized communities.
BOBEA Recognises a Lifetime of Transformative Leadership
The BOBEA Lifetime Achievement Award honours individuals whose contribution to society extends far beyond the offices they have held.
Presenting the recognition, BOBEA host Amb. Dr. Yusuf Noah said Mama Zipporah embodied the qualities the awards seek to celebrate.
“BOBEA settles on leaders whose work transcends office and outlives tenure. Mama Zipporah built institutions, mentored generations, and gave voice to millions of Kenyan women. That is the definition of transformative leadership.”
For more than two decades, Mama Zipporah served as the longest-serving Chairperson of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization, where she championed women’s economic empowerment by strengthening grassroots self-help groups across Kenya.
Her influence also extended into Parliament and civil society, where she consistently advocated for the rights of women, children and vulnerable communities long before many of those issues gained national prominence.
An Emotional Family Tribute
The evening was as much about family as it was about public service.
Mama Zipporah arrived accompanied by nearly 40 members of her family, including her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who filled the front rows of the auditorium in a moving display of unity and legacy.
Among those present was Zahra Moi, wife of KANU Chairman Gideon Moi, highlighting the wide respect Mama Zipporah commands across generations and sectors.
When her name was announced, her family accompanied her to the stage in a slow, emotional procession as the audience remained on its feet in applause.
The award was presented by Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Affairs, Hon. Beatrice Askul Moe, who described Mama Zipporah as:
“The matriarch of women’s empowerment in Kenya.” This Award Belongs to Every Woman”
Accepting the honour, an emotional Mama Zipporah thanked the BOBEA Secretariat and organisers for recognising her decades of service.
“In all my years of service, I have never seen such appreciation. This is not for me alone. It is for every woman in the village who woke up at 4am to build this nation.”
Her remarks drew another standing ovation from guests, many of whom were visibly moved by her humility and lifelong dedication to public service.
A Legacy That Continues to Inspire
Over the years, Mama Zipporah Kittony has become one of Kenya’s most respected advocates for women’s empowerment, community development and inclusive leadership.
Her work through Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization helped transform women’s groups into engines of economic empowerment while mentoring generations of female leaders across the country.
The recognition places her among Kenya’s most influential public figures whose impact continues to shape governance, community development and social transformation.
The gala dinner brought together some of the country’s most influential leaders, but the evening ultimately belonged to Mama Zipporah—a woman whose decades of service continue to inspire generations.
The 2026 BOBEA Lifetime Achievement Award stands as a recognition not only of her remarkable career but also of the lasting legacy she has built through leadership, service and unwavering commitment to empowering others.
