Meet Colombian Vice President Who Is Called 'Nyawira'

President William Ruto on Tuesday, September 5 amazed participants attending the African Climate Summit 2023 when he revealed that Colombian Vice President, Francia Elena Márquez Mina, has roots in Kenya.

He was speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) where he revealed that Colombia's second-in-command has a Kenyan name, Nyawira, meaning her roots can be traced to the Mt Kenya region.

Moreover, the Head of State told the crowd that had gathered at the KICC who eventually cheered her on that Marquez, during a recent visit to the country, had seen her descendants traced to Meru County.

“Thank you very much my sister Francia for that candid statement. By the way, Francia has a Kenyan name, Nyawira.

"When she came to Kenya we traced her origin to a place called Meru. Thank you very much Nyawira,” Ruto revealed after the Colombian VP’s address, amidst applause.

Nyawira Meaning

The name Nyawira is a Kenyan name of Kikuyu origin. It is a feminine name that denotes a hardworking person.

It is a popular name in Kenya and is given to girls whose parents expect their children to be strong and independent.

Other possible meanings of the name Nyawira include one who is industrious, always busy, never afraid of hard work and a valuable asset to their community.

Francia Elena Márquez Profile

Francia Elena Márquez Mina is a Colombian human rights and environmental activist, lawyer, and the 13th and current Vice President of Colombia.

She was born on December 1, 1981, in Yolombó, a village in the Cauca Department. At the age of 13, she became an activist when the construction of a dam threatened her community.

A formidable leader of the Afro-Colombian community, Francia Márquez organized the women of La Toma and stopped illegal gold mining on their ancestral land.

She exerted steady pressure on the Colombian government and spearheaded a 10-day, 350-mile march of 80 women to the nation’s capital, resulting in the removal of all illegal miners and equipment from her community. Since then, she has dedicated her life to caring for the territory and building peace in Colombia.

Her important work and struggle was recognized nationally with the 2015 National Human Rights Prize, and internationally with the Goldman Prize (the most important recognition for defenders of the environment in the world) in 2018.

She was a candidate for the House of Representatives in the Special Congressional Seats for Black Communities in 2018. Thereafter, she served as president of the National Council for Peace and Coexistence (2020-2021). 

She started out her career as a housekeeper and later decided to pursue law to better understand how to fight and defend her community, leaving behind her two children. 

However, in 2014, she dropped out of law school in another fight for the community and the environment after receiving reports that there was illegal mining activity at the banks of Ovejes River where she grew up.

After a career as a social activist for Afro-Colombians and climate justice, she decided to run for the vice presidency and won, becoming the first Afro-Colombian vice president in the country's history. She is also the second woman to hold the post, after Marta Lucía Ramírez.

She assumed office on August 7, 2022, and is a member of the Soy Porque Somos political party and the Historic Pact for Colombia.

Visit to Kenya

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua while welcoming Francia to Kenya on Monday, March 15, lauded her for being a true hustler because of her resilience in fighting for the freedom of the people and rising from a housekeeper to the vice president position. 

"This visit is very exciting and equally significant because a girlchild from the generation of African slaves and freedom fighters rose from a housekeeper to the second most powerful office in the government of Colombia. 

"You have a sustained legacy of fighting for the freedom and dignity of the people. You are indeed a real hustler," Gachagua stated.