Naisula Lesuuda reveals FGM and marriage pressure she faced during first political bid
By Valerian Khakayi, August 21, 2026Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda has opened up about the personal attacks and social pressure she faced during her early years in politics, revealing how her marital status and cultural background became subjects of criticism during her campaigns.
Speaking during a candid interview, Lesuuda said she faced criticism when she first sought elective office, with some people questioning her ability to lead because she was unmarried.
She said her critics used her marital status to question her leadership abilities, arguing that she could not lead a community if she had not established her own family.
“Every other day I was being maligned that I was single; I was not married, so if you cannot run your own family, who are you to come and dare tell us that you can run a whole community or lead a community?” Lesuuda said.
Lesuuda said the criticism became more intense because of insecurity in the area, with some people arguing that a woman could not effectively lead the community.
“Because of the insecurity, how can a woman be the one to lead us in an insecure place?” she added.
FGM claims
The MP also revealed that the attacks became deeply personal, with some critics making comments about female genital mutilation (FGM).
“Issues got so nasty where people were talking about, ‘Ooh, who have not even gone through FGM?’ and you wonder, ‘How do you know?'”she stated.
She said the criticism was accompanied by insults and violence, making her early political journey particularly difficult.
“There were insults and violence as well,” the MP recalled.
Lesuuda’s political journey
Lesuuda’s political career began in the Senate after she was nominated to represent women and youth interests.
She later successfully transitioned to elective politics, winning the Samburu West parliamentary seat in the 2017 General Election.
Her victory made her one of the notable young women to rise through Kenya’s political ranks, particularly in a region where leadership has traditionally been dominated by men.
Lesuuda retained the Samburu West seat in the 2022 General Election, continuing her political career while advocating for issues affecting women, youth and communities in northern Kenya.
The legislator said the criticism did not end after she got married. During her second political bid, she faced a different form of scrutiny, with critics questioning her decision to marry outside her community.
Her experience, she said, highlights the extent to which women in politics can face scrutiny over personal issues that have little to do with their leadership abilities.
Despite the pressure, Lesuuda has continued to serve in Parliament, using her platform to push for development and greater representation of women in leadership