Kenyan-born woman elected in US

By Peter Ochieng

As the world awaits an announcement on who becomes the United States of America (USA) next president between Donald Trump and Pamela Haris, a Kenyan-born woman is already celebrating.

Huldah Hiltsley Momanyi has been declared winner of a House of Representatives seat in Minnesota. Momanyi, a Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party candidate from Brooklyn Park, defeated Republican Brad Olson in a House District 38A race.

She got 10, 005 votes, an equivalent of 64.78 percent, against Olson's 34.95 percent, representing 5,398 votes.

The win makes her the first state legislator of Kenyan heritage, and she is very excited about it.

“I am excited, I cannot believe it. It is history in the making. We worked so hard to get to this point. We have an opportunity here to build bridges and foster a community that celebrates everyone’s heritage and potential."

“It doesn’t feel real. I don’t think I was expecting to do that well. 65 percent, that’s a big margin, right? That just goes to show you the work that my team has put into this race,” she said, as quoted by multiple US media.

“Not only the first Kenyan American in the Minnesota Legislature, but the first Kenyan-born in the entire U.S. to be elected into office,” she added.

The 39-year-old Huldah was born in Nyamira County to Philip and Tabitha Momanyi, before the moved to the US nine years later.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Political Science and International Relations from Bethel University, Minnesota.

She then obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the same University.

In 2010, she was appointed as the Executive Director for Intercultural Programs at Bethel University, before working as the International Programs Coordinator at Hope for the City, a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) located in St Louis, Minnesota in 2011.

Huldah Hiltsley Momanyi returned to Bethel in May 2013 to assume the role of Multicultural Admissions Counselor and Community Relations Associate.

She later joined the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an applicant Services Program Specialist, among other employment opportunities.