Claim leadership across Kenya’s tech transformation, Monica Juma urges women at Quantum Quest

The call was made by Athena Patron Ambassador Dr. Monica Juma, during the 15th edition of Quantum Quest, Athena’s flagship Mentorship and Leadership convening in Nairobi. The event also marked the organisation’s fifth anniversary since its official launch.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Juma framed technology as the new organising layer of national power—determining who owns data, who sets standards, which innovations are financed, and how platforms serve communities.

“This is not about politely asking for a seat at the table. The table itself is being built now, and women must be part of designing it,” she said.

She recognised pioneering African women whose leadership laid the groundwork for today’s progress, citing diplomat and gender rights advocate Zainab Bangura and Justice Effie Owuor, Kenya’s first woman High Court judge, as symbols of excellence and integrity that advanced women’s participation in decision-making and influence.

Dr Juma highlighted Athena’s rapid evolution over five years—from a founding cohort of about 20 women in 2020 to a fast-growing, cross-sector leadership network that has since engaged more than 3,000 participants through 15 major convenings, including 12 sectoral cohort sessions and three signature gatherings.

“Athena connects women from the past, to the present, and into the future, carrying a shared obligation—to offer our shoulders and hold our lights high for those coming behind us,” she added.

The patron emphasised that leadership along the technology chain spans far beyond software development, cutting across law, finance, public policy, security, communications, regulation, investment decisioning, and enterprise systems—sectors where women already lead but must now lead more strategically with technology in mind.

Participants in attendance included strategic leaders in diplomacy, national security, media, energy, finance, engineering, legal practice and university-age mentees and interns, alongside male allies supporting Athena’s mission.

Dr. Juma warned that as global AI and digital reskilling gathers momentum—with 60% of the workforce projected to require new digital competencies—the opportunity for women to influence technology’s design, governance and ownership must be seized now.

“Women empowerment is good business, good politics, good security and good for society. If we do not occupy these spaces, we will inherit systems built without our realities,” she said.

She concluded by positioning technology as Athena’s next strategic workstream, with planned sectoral deep-dives on AI regulation, digital finance, cybersecurity, board readiness and cross-generation mentorship to support women’s leadership in tech-intensive sectors.

The Quantum Quest forum will be followed by continued convenings to expand women’s strategic participation and ownership at scale.