Meet 80-year-old woman who has voted for 40 years in Kenya

For more than four decades, Judy Wamunyu, 80, has been trooping to the Kiamugumo Primary School polling station in Kirinyaga County to vote.

Every election cycle, she turns out to exercise her democratic right. The mother of eight has never missed voting in a General Election even when she was unwell. She said she wants to see good leaders elected to govern the country.

“I feel duty-bound to participate in the elections so that I don’t regret,” she told Nation.Africa at Kiamugumo as she waited to cast her vote.

Ms Wamunyu did not go to school but she knows the importance of voting.

“I had no one to take me to school but I know that if I don’t go to vote I will do a disservice to my country,” Ms Wamunyu said.

She recollected that she started voting in the 1970s and all the leaders that she voted for did a good job.

“I go to vote because I would like to have honest and competent leaders. I admire incorruptible and hardworking leaders,” she said.

She explained that Azimio la Umoja One Kenya running mate Martha Karua is one of the leaders she voted for previously.

“When Ms Karua entered politics in 1992, I voted for her as the Gichugu MP. Ms Karua held that position for 20 years, until she quit to seek the presidency. She motivated me to continue voting because she stood for the truth. She was an honest and development-conscious leader,” she said.

The ailing Wamunyu said she would continue voting as long as she is alive.

“Like now, I’m sick. My legs are aching but I will camp here until I cast my vote. I’m confident the right leaders will be elected to take my county and the country forward. What I want to see after the polls is development and peace,” said the octogenarian.

In Murang’a, Alice Wamboi, 103, turned up to vote at Ndikwe Primary in Kiharu constituency. Ms Wambui said she was voting for the sake of future generations.