Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage Cabinet Secretary nominee Hanna Wendot Cheptumo has placed her family's net worth at Ksh420 million.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments on Monday, April 14, Hanna broke down the composition of the family’s wealth which includes real estate and other assets.
“Our net worth as a family is Ksh420 million, made of our residential house in Karen which is about Ksh100 million, and we have a residential house in Nakuru worth Ksh15 million among others,” she stated.
However, Hannah was quick to clarify that most of the financial assets and property belong to her husband, the late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, admitting that she herself does not control significant personal wealth.
“It’s true, I don’t have money, the money I have belongs to my husband and I have not done succession. Part of what was supposed to be due to him has been stolen in the cooperative.
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“During the day we were having the church service, I was told that Ksh250,000 was borrowed by him. He has borrowed Ksh250,000 and it has already been spent,” she said.
During her interview, Hanna discussed various issues including the rising number of femicide cases in the country, arguing that it is as a result of dependency.
"Femicide is brought about by dependency. If girls were able to have economic power, they would not depend on either gender. If a woman is educated, chances are that they will avoid some of these challenges in society," she said.
On the issue of insecurity, Hanna attributed it to lack of stable income stating, "The challenges of insecurity are because of income. The cows which are stolen from Baringo, for example, are stolen because of bride price; they are taking those cows so that they can pay dowry for another wife.
"For me, even Cheptumo did not pay the two and I am still married to him. You don’t have to have 20 cows, you can have two and still get married, we are willing to get married anytime."
In the end, Hanna promised to negotiate more funding for her ministry and foster teamwork, should she be approved for the post.
"If this committee approves my nomination, I will negotiate for more funding for my ministry. I will foster teamwork; you can’t work alone. Mine is like an issue of marriage, it is me who is getting married there and the marriage must work," she said.
