Auditor General Keynotes High-Level Gathering of Women Engineers

The Institute of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) hosted the second day of its Women Engineers Summit, bringing together public sector figures and technical experts to examine key issues surrounding industry diversity and resilient infrastructure delivery.

Auditor General of Kenya, Ms. Nancy Gathungu, served as a keynote speaker during the sessions. Addressing attendees, she urged engineering professionals to embrace innovation, bold thinking, and greater gender inclusivity across public and private sector projects.

State infrastructure agencies actively participated in the technical panels. The Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) was represented by Eng. Immaculate Mwatha from the Directorate of Development, who delivered presentations on resilient network planning.

In her address, Eng. Mwatha outlined strategies for building smarter rural road networks capable of withstanding climate pressures. She noted that technical planning must incorporate long-term sustainability to protect state investments in transportation.

The summit focus extended beyond physical works to workplace equity. Discussions highlighted the importance of creating direct leadership pathways for women engineers within public institutions, state corporations, and private contracting firms.

Delegates examined ongoing structural barriers facing female engineering graduates in the field. Industry experts stressed that mentorship programs and targeted recruitment policies remain essential to retention rates across the sector.

Representative bodies emphasized that gender diversity directly strengthens project outcomes. Increased female participation in technical roles brings varied perspectives, which improves problem-solving capabilities during project execution phases.

KeRRA officials noted that building rural roads serves a broader socio-economic purpose beyond laid asphalt. Expanding access creates commercial opportunities, supports local supply chains, and empowers marginalized communities across rural constituencies.

The summit concluded with commitments from participating agencies to foster inclusive working environments. Public authorities pledged to continue integrating progressive workforce policies while maintaining rigorous engineering standards across national deveopment programs.