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Anita Soina, the Green Party member of parliament, became notable as the youngest Kenyan parliamentary candidate in the 2022 general election. Her drive stemmed from her desire for a bigger stage to combat climate change.
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When she was young, Soina would swing and collect water from the effervescent Mara River, but now, she feels disheartened as people can simply hop across what was once an expansive river using stones.
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As stated by the resilient climate advocate, the rapid depletion of the Mara River can be attributed to activities such as mining and deforestation, along with several other factors.
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After reviewing the reports from the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee regarding fund misappropriation, Soina came to believe that politicians are primarily responsible for this issue.
Nairobi
In 2022, climate activist Anita Soina ventured into the complex realm of politics, driven solely by the objective to intensify the battle against climate change, particularly within her local region.
Where did Soina begin her battle for the environment?
Whereas many Kenyan youths are enticed into politics by the trappings of power, wealth, and influence, Soina wanted a seat at the table of policy and decision-making to save her home county from the adverse effects of climate change.
Growing up as a young girl in Kajido North, Soina fondly recalls collecting water, playing, and swimming in the Mara River, which holds more than just personal significance for her—it’s an emotional anchor tied to her childhood memories.
Throughout the decades, the Mara River deteriorated significantly, causing great concern for the Kajiado local.
She fondly recalled how they would swim, tend to aquatic animals, collect water for households, and do laundry in it.
“One day, the water levels dropped significantly. The villagers began crossing it effortlessly by walking on the stones, and this was unbearable for me. I felt compelled to act; I needed to safeguard the river and the broader environment,” she explained.
What was the beginning of Soina’s mission like?
The advocate for the environment outlined that the rapid depletion of the Mara River was attributed to mining activities, inadequate resource management, deforestation, and climate change.
This drove her, an individual warrior, to forge a new direction, concentrating on water security and hygiene to safeguard global assets.
At first, Soina concentrated on tree planting because she lacked substantial funds to launch large-scale environmental conservation initiatives. To this end, she collaborated with children and volunteers who were passionate about contributing to this worthy endeavor.
What methods does Anita use to finance her projects?
In the modern era, it’s challenging to undertake any initiative lacking financial support. However, this youthful advocate for combating climate change embarked on her journey using only modest resources at hand. As Soina points out, a significant portion of her efforts are financed directly from her own pockets.
In addition to combating climate change, the Soina Foundation assists various students with their education, covering costs for some entirely while providing partial support for others.
She mentioned, ‘Occasionally friends assist, yet I end up paying more because I initiate most of the projects and outings. Despite this, I love what I’m doing. I am truly grateful for organizations that participate with us and back our efforts.’
“I became involved with the movement initially as a climate activist and subsequently learned how to execute initiatives that contribute to solving these issues,” she explained further. “I then broadened my focus to become an advocate for both education and water sanitation.”
Anita Soina on the international platform
Despite being a modest young woman from Kajiado, Soina’s efforts have led her across the globe. She mentioned that her favorite location among these travels was COP 26 in Glasgow, as it marked her initial conference beyond the African continent.
“Although this was my inaugural COP experience and nobody had briefed me about what it would entail—its scale and how to participate effectively—I recall joining a climate march during Youth Day at COP. Thousands of people from all age groups took part in the demonstration, with participants ranging from youngsters to seniors,” she stated.
“The strike was spearheaded by Greta Thunberg, whose story I recently came across online, and numerous voices called for Immediate Climate Action, sending a powerful message to global leaders. Recalling that moment, I felt emotionally charged due to the anxiety and realized that climate change truly poses a significant threat,” she recounted.
The youthful activist shared that she chose to enter politics sooner than expected and found herself running for office more quickly than planned.
She remarked, ‘During the strike, I realized many stakeholders were actively combating the climate crisis, with only political leaders left behind.’
What difficulties does Soina encounter?
Even though Soina ardently loves her work, she encounters difficulties too. She noticed that passionate people putting in significant effort often go unnoticed as they lack the necessary tools and knowledge of technology and digital platforms to share their experiences effectively.
“I leverage my platforms to magnify their voices; the greatest impact at the grassroots level is often achieved by individuals not holding official positions, whereas many who occupy such roles tend to lack genuine enthusiasm. It’s crucial to strike a balance where these dedicated frontline advocates receive due recognition for their hard work,” stated the graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications.
What are the perspectives of people living in rural areas regarding climate change?
The beauty also highlighted how climate change is viewed in rural regions; some young people are enthusiastic and engage in environmental efforts voluntarily, participating not only in awareness campaigns but also executing various climate-focused initiatives.
The majority of young people aren’t keen on volunteering, but this work truly requires each one of us to contribute in small ways we can to make a difference,” stated the founder of the Soina Foundation, an organization aimed at tackling issues related to sexual and reproductive health education, combating gender-based violence, improving Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), and enhancing educational opportunities.
“In countryside regions, many individuals recognize that certain alterations are adversely impacting their lives, yet they lack comprehension regarding the reasons behind these changes and potential individual or communal actions to address them. This situation places considerable pressure on youth-led organizations as they strive to connect with every affected person,” explained the graduate from Multimedia University.
Soina suggested that both the government and other involved parties ought to focus on widespread education efforts, possibly via the county governments.
Who is acknowledging Anita’s contributions?
In 2025, Soina along with other youthful activists from the water and climate movements received an invitation to a gathering at Buckingham Palace, where they had the opportunity to meet King Charles.
“It was an incredibly thrilling chance for us to connect and engage with fellow visionaries from the private sector, civil society organizations, young people, politicians, and various stakeholders globally,” she stated.
Even though Soina has achieved significant progress, she believes that the battle against climate change could become more manageable if it were integrated into policies and politicians took it more earnestly.
What was the reason for Soina’s participation in the 2022 election?
In 2022, Soina emerged as the youngest contender for the Member of Parliament (MP) role, running for the Kajiado North MP position via the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
She told
ChinPao.co.ke
In addition to her desire to be in a position where she could impact policies addressing the severe consequences of climate change, she was also motivated to encourage fellow activists fighting for the same cause.
“Their place is in these spaces to advocate for change from within the halls of power,” stated the young Maasai woman born in 1999.
Currently, Kenya, along with many other nations, is grappling with the impacts of climate change. As an example, in 2022, regions such as Kajiade County and 23 others exhibited severe consequences of relentless drought among susceptible populations.
Some farmers were forced to sell their livestock for as little as KSh 200, while others helplessly witnessed their animals perish and die.
In what ways can politicians influence marginalized communities?
During the interview with
ChinPao.co.ke
Soina mentioned that she has spent considerable time working in rural regions, where marginalized communities have often been seen solely as victims of the climate crisis.
Nevertheless, she argues that these communities should initially be viewed as resilient entities, even though they face geographical disadvantages, social exclusion, and lack significant political support to access basic necessities such as water or share optimism with one another and visitors.
“I have reviewed the reports from the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee regarding the misappropriation of funds in ASAL regions such as Kajiado, Turkana, Marsabit, and Wajir, among others. This has led me to believe that the political elite represent the primary issue,” she stated.
“Although embezzled money could potentially fund adaptation efforts for these communities, it often ends up being categorized as misuse or theft, with very little actually benefiting them,” stated the activist from North Kajiado.
Even though she mounted a formidable KSh 2.8 million political campaign in 2022, the young lady was unsuccessful in securing the position. Nonetheless, this doesn’t imply that she has abandoned her aspirations for participating in national leadership.
What does Anita suggest regarding climate change?
Ever since she began her efforts in 2019, Soina has come to understand that tackling climate change alone is not feasible; individuals must contribute within their own capacities and locations, thereby cumulatively achieving significant progress.
“Aspire towards your passions, explore them through online resources, interact with others who share similar interests, and remember that the objective should be addressing challenges rather than competing,” she stated.
Soina discusses campaigning with limited resources.
In a different narrative, Soina verified that she expended KSh 2.8 million on her bid for a parliamentary seat, contrasting this sum with the millions—and occasionally billions—spent by politicians. She referred to this as running an economical campaign.
The beauty confessed that once she discovered KSh 1.5 million had been spent over an eight-month period, she nearly succumbed to depression.
She suggested that young politicians ought to receive guidance to achieve mental stability. Following the elections, several of her peers were unable to venture out of their homes due to psychological distress caused by the funds expended during the campaign period.
