Dr. Roselyne Akombe, a former commissioner of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of Kenya has been named in the list of top 100 most influential women in Africa.
Akombe, the now, Governance and Peacebuilding Regional Coordinator at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Africa resigned her immediate post at IEBC in 2017 during Kenya’s most contested 2017 elections.
She claimed the agency was not in a position to deliver credible elections.
The list released by Avance Media, a PR and Rating firm, has also seen Chief Justice Martha Koome, Anne Waiguru the Governor of Kirinyaga, and Charity Ngilu-Kitui Governor top the list of most influential leaders on the continent.
The 2021 list has women from 28 African countries from various backgrounds in business leadership, academia, diplomacy, philanthropy, entertainment and media.
“The ranking presents a summary of women who have climbed the corporate ladder, started their own businesses, or have been at the forefront of decision making both locally and internationally,” Prince Akpah, Managing Director of Avance Media said.
Some notable names on the list are former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Sahle-Work Zewde (H.E), Samia Suluhu Hassan, Presidents of Ethiopia and Tanzania respectively and United Nation’s Amina J. Mohammed.
Others are Victoire Tomegah Dogbé, Prime Minister of Togo, Jessica Rose Epel Alupo , Mariam Chabi Talata Vice Presidents of Uganda and Benin respectively, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, of the World Trade Organization Director General and Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh first African Woman to head IBM’s operation in Africa as Regional Head and Executive Director.
The youngest honouree to make the list for the second time is Namibia’s Deputy ICT Minister, Hon. Emma Theofelus.
In the Entertainment sector, four-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo and Nigerian Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson were also on the list.
The selection criteria included excellence in leadership and performance, personal accomplishments, commitment to sharing knowledge, breaking the status quo and bring an accomplished African Woman.
