Baroness Margaret Thatcher was one of the few celebrated women leaders in the world. Her come back into the murky world of politics in 1953, after two subsequent and unsuccessful attempts, saw her elected as the Representative for Finley in the House of Commons; a turning point that gradually elevated her to being the first British woman Prime Minister in Britain in 1979.
She was popularly known as the iron Lady for her undaunted fighting spirit in ensuring that her Conservative Party carried the day in its day-to-day leadership endeavours. Her early foray into politics depicted her enthusiasm and the muscle to also dominate in the world of politics, previously thought to be ‘men’s preserve profession’. Her comments in a television interview in 1973 clearly showed how disenchanted she was on the future of women in politics. "I don't think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime," she concluded.
The Oxford University graduate kept her word. When the Conservative Party lost power in 1974, Thatcher became a dominant force in her political party. She was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1975, beating Heath for the position. She was later elected in 1979 through the Conservative Party following the economic and political crisis that rocked the country, becoming the first British Woman Prime Minister.
Being the Prime Minister she faced a lot of setbacks. The military threat posed by Argentina who wanted to annex the Falkland Islands prompted her to react by force, leading to the famous Falkland war. However this did not stop her from extending her leadership role to the whole world.
In South Africa she was so instrumental in ending the apartheid policy. In East Africa her indelible impression is still conspicuous, a mark that is corroborated by her relentless and selfless support in expansion of infrastructure.
In Moi University she marshalled funds through the Government of Britain to construct an ultra-modern library, which the University brags about as being the largest in East and Central Africa. The library was named after her, Margaret Thatcher Library, known to many students as MTL.
The University librarian, Dr. Tirong’, vividly recounts her visits and speeches in the late 1980s. According to him when Thatcher visited Kenya in 1988, she officiated the ground breaking of many sites, one at Mumias and a post office in Kapsabet in Nandi County. Her destination at Moi University Main Campus earmarked the construction of the 8 million Sterling Pound Library, after she pledged her support. She later gave a short speech before proceeding to plant a tree at the Administration. The tree still stands to date.
He acknowledges that despite the frequent visits by the Royal families from Britain then, Thatcher’s visit was a surprise, a courtesy to which the University still owes a lot of gratitude. The official construction of the Library took a span of four years to be completed. This was after the then President, Daniel Arap Moi, officially commenced its construction in 1990.
Thatcher retired from politics after she lost support to implement fixed rate tax which came to be known as the poll tax policy. The policy led to public protests and division in the party, igniting a public clamour for her resignation, which she eventually yielded to in 1990.
As a writer she captures her experience as a world leader and a pioneering woman in the field of politics. She is the author of two books; The Downing Street Years (1993) and The Path to Power (1995). In 2002, she published the book Statecraft, in which she offered her views on international politics.
She was popularly known as the iron Lady for her undaunted fighting spirit in ensuring that her Conservative Party carried the day in its day-to-day leadership endeavours. Her early foray into politics depicted her enthusiasm and the muscle to also dominate in the world of politics, previously thought to be ‘men’s preserve profession’. Her comments in a television interview in 1973 clearly showed how disenchanted she was on the future of women in politics. "I don't think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime," she concluded.
The Oxford University graduate kept her word. When the Conservative Party lost power in 1974, Thatcher became a dominant force in her political party. She was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1975, beating Heath for the position. She was later elected in 1979 through the Conservative Party following the economic and political crisis that rocked the country, becoming the first British Woman Prime Minister.
Being the Prime Minister she faced a lot of setbacks. The military threat posed by Argentina who wanted to annex the Falkland Islands prompted her to react by force, leading to the famous Falkland war. However this did not stop her from extending her leadership role to the whole world.
In South Africa she was so instrumental in ending the apartheid policy. In East Africa her indelible impression is still conspicuous, a mark that is corroborated by her relentless and selfless support in expansion of infrastructure.
In Moi University she marshalled funds through the Government of Britain to construct an ultra-modern library, which the University brags about as being the largest in East and Central Africa. The library was named after her, Margaret Thatcher Library, known to many students as MTL.
The University librarian, Dr. Tirong’, vividly recounts her visits and speeches in the late 1980s. According to him when Thatcher visited Kenya in 1988, she officiated the ground breaking of many sites, one at Mumias and a post office in Kapsabet in Nandi County. Her destination at Moi University Main Campus earmarked the construction of the 8 million Sterling Pound Library, after she pledged her support. She later gave a short speech before proceeding to plant a tree at the Administration. The tree still stands to date.
He acknowledges that despite the frequent visits by the Royal families from Britain then, Thatcher’s visit was a surprise, a courtesy to which the University still owes a lot of gratitude. The official construction of the Library took a span of four years to be completed. This was after the then President, Daniel Arap Moi, officially commenced its construction in 1990.
Thatcher retired from politics after she lost support to implement fixed rate tax which came to be known as the poll tax policy. The policy led to public protests and division in the party, igniting a public clamour for her resignation, which she eventually yielded to in 1990.
As a writer she captures her experience as a world leader and a pioneering woman in the field of politics. She is the author of two books; The Downing Street Years (1993) and The Path to Power (1995). In 2002, she published the book Statecraft, in which she offered her views on international politics.
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