KILIFI County—Feb 2, 2026—At 27, Fatuma Nmasare Ramadhan is a rising force in Kilifi County, representing a generation of young, bold, and solutions-driven leaders seeking to redefine political leadership in Kenya.
Her journey—rooted in lived experience, creativity, and relentless community engagement—reflects a deep commitment to ensuring that young people are present where decisions are made.
Born and raised in Kilifi, Fatuma is Mijikenda and comes from a family deeply connected to the county. She attended primary school in Kibarani Ward, Kilifi North Sub-County, before joining Mungaya Girls High School in Ganze. Experiencing firsthand the county’s challenges, from poverty to limited opportunities, Fatuma developed a grounded perspective on leadership: she speaks not from theory but lived reality.
Her higher education in Journalism and Mass Communication took her to the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) and later Pwani University. While her parents supported her first degree, Fatuma sought ways to supplement her income and pursue her ambitions independently.
In 2017, she founded I Knit Kenya, learning crochet and creating fashionable designs from thread. What began as a personal initiative to generate pocket money evolved into the Crochet Academy, a program training young girls and teenagers in the county to acquire skills, earn a living, and build economic independence. Today, Fatuma even funds her master’s degree through the business, a testament to her creativity, discipline, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Fatuma’s commitment to empowerment extends beyond entrepreneurship. Through Dada Yangu, she mentors underprivileged girls, providing life skills training, menstrual health education, and reusable sanitary pads.
Her work tackles issues such as teenage pregnancies, child marriage, and gender inequality, reflecting her belief that leadership is about lifting others as one rises.
Her political engagement is a natural extension of this advocacy. Speaking during a youth engagement meeting in Malindi Town Ward, Fatuma highlighted the critical role of young people in governance.
“Too often, young people are left out. The county government has failed to listen, failed to include them in decision-making and failed to create opportunities that reflect their real struggles and dreams,” she said, calling for structured platforms that allow youth to influence policy and development priorities.
She emphasizes that Kilifi’s leadership gap is a direct result of sidelining young people.
“The leadership gap we are witnessing today is because young people have been shut out. Bridging this gap starts with listening to the youth, including them in leadership, and empowering them with real opportunities, not empty promises,” she told the meeting, which brought together youth leaders and figures allied to vocal politician and Kilifi gubernatorial aspirant in the 2027 General Election, Aisha Jumwa.
Fatuma sees a growing Gen-Z demand for accountability, inclusion, and responsive leadership as a defining feature of Kenya’s political landscape, particularly as the 2027 General Election approaches.
Kilifi County, with one of the youngest populations in the country, faces pressing challenges around unemployment, opportunity access, and meaningful representation. Fatuma believes that young people, who form the backbone of the county’s economy, must be part of decision-making structures that affect their lives.
Her political vision is anchored in practical solutions, mentorship, and collaboration. She advocates for leaders who combine experience with innovation, stressing that leadership should prioritise ideas, critical thinking, and problem-solving capacity over mere age or titles.
For Fatuma, leadership is about service, solutions, and representation: a philosophy she demonstrates not only through advocacy but through tangible action in her community.
Looking ahead, Fatuma is eyeing the Kilifi Woman Representative position, a move that signals a generational shift in the county’s politics.
Her journey—from knitting thread to pay tuition, mentoring girls, and advocating for youth inclusion—positions her as both a role model and a catalyst for change. She embodies a leadership that is inclusive, transformative, and grounded in lived realities, a model increasingly demanded by the county’s young population.
“The future must be represented,” she insists. And in Fatuma Ramadhan’s vision, Kilifi’s youth are not just leaders of tomorrow—they are active participants today.
