Jane Njeri Maina is the Kirinyaga County Woman Representative, she was overwhelmingly elected in the 2022 general election on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket.
She is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a former musician and businessperson.
Njeri was elected Woman Rep at 28, becoming one of the youngest parliamentarians in the country's history. But how did she get there? Here's a breakdown of her journey:
Education and Early Life
She was born in 1994 in Ndia Constituency, Kirinyanga County. She attended Kiangoma Primary School and later moved to Kabare Girls High School for her secondary school, where she excelled and attained university qualification.
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The Kirinyaga Woman Rep later joined the University of Nairobi and graduated with a law degree.
After her undergraduate program, she enrolled at the Kenya School of Law for a postgraduate diploma in law, which she completed in 2019. After that, she was admitted to the bar as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
Career Life
Before politics, Njeri had stints in different industries, such as entrepreneurship, music and the legal field.
Njeri the Entrepreneur
In a post on her Facebook page, the legislator noted that back in campus, she needed extra cash from what her parents were providing and, therefore, decided to venture into the mitumba (thrifted clothes) business.
She divulged that she'd visit Gikomba market very early in the morning, get the best clothes and resell them online since she did not have a physical shop.
"In retrospect, I had sold mtush in campus because I always wanted to have a little cash on the side for myself. Back in the day, the online market was booming. It was a new thing and therefore an opportunity to exploit. Being in campus at the time, I'd wake up and be at Gikosh by 6 am, right in time for selection of the 'camera' mtush," she divulged.
Njeri the Musician
While still in campus, Njeri tried her hand in the music industry on campus and signed up with Grandpa Record. She went by the stage name Carola Jayne.
She recorded four songs and produced one video, but the reception was not good, prompting her to quit.
Njeri the Lawyer
Her first formal employment came in 2013 when she joined Amandi and Associates Advocates as a legal researcher/intern. She served in the position until 2014 when she moved to Kiambu Law Courts as a legal researcher.
Between 2018 and 2019, she joined Lilian Amere & Company Advocates for her pupilage, after which she moved to Moraa Omoke & Company Advocates as a legal researcher and later joined Mathenge Wambogu and Company Advocates as the Head of Litigation.
In 2021, she established her law firm, Njeri Maina Law Advocates, where she serves as the Managing Partner.
Njeri the Politician
Opening up on her political journey, Njeri noted that she wasn't interested in vying until former Kirinyaga Woman Representative Purity Ngirici announced that she would not defend the seat.
She won the seat after trouncing big names such as former County Assembly Speaker Anne Githinji and former County Director of Administration Shujaa Rose Wachira.
The win saw her become one of the youngest legislators in the country's history. She's held her position since 2022.
Some of her key highlights include voting no for the 2024 Finance Bill despite her party whipping its members to vote yes.
