Director General of Immigration Services Evelyn Cheluget was crowned the East Africa Public Sector Leadership Champion of the Year 2026./HANDOUTThe 2026 East Africa Superwoman Awards brought together influential women leaders from across the region to celebrate excellence, resilience and transformative leadership under the theme “Breaking the Glass Ceiling and Leading Ahead".
It was a night of pomp and colour as Director General of Immigration Services Evelyn Cheluget was crowned the East Africa Public Sector Leadership Champion of the Year 2026 during a gala ceremony held at the Argyle Grand Hotel on Saturday, May 15.
The awards recognised women who continue to challenge barriers, inspire change and drive progress across different sectors while empowering future generations of women and girls.
Director General of Immigration Services Evelyn Cheluget was crowned the East Africa Public Sector Leadership Champion of the Year 2026. /HANDOUT
Director General of Immigration Services Evelyn Cheluget was crowned the East Africa Public Sector Leadership Champion of the Year 2026./HANDOUTSpeaking after receiving the award, Cheluget dedicated the recognition to officers and staff within the Immigration Department, saying it reflected the collective commitment of the institution in delivering quality public service.
She praised immigration officers for their professionalism, patriotism, resilience and dedication in safeguarding national security, managing borders and ensuring efficient service delivery across the country.
“This recognition should inspire more women in leadership to continue breaking barriers, overcome challenges and create pathways for others to succeed,” Cheluget said.
Speakers at the forum emphasised the need to empower more women to take up leadership positions across various sectors, noting that breaking the glass ceiling requires determination, courage, consistency and strong support systems.
Education and mentorship emerged as key themes during the discussions, with participants calling for increased investment in girls’ education and leadership development programmes to prepare young women for future opportunities.
The event also celebrated the role of women in business and entrepreneurship, with speakers applauding female professionals and entrepreneurs for contributing to economic growth, job creation and innovation despite challenges in the corporate world.
Participants further stressed the importance of women supporting one another through mentorship, networking, advocacy and collaboration to create more inclusive environments. The founder and CEO of the awards, Fred Kyalo, said the initiative was created to celebrate women making a positive impact in society through leadership, innovation and community service.
“Women are out there winning. Women are out there conquering. Now it’s not like before when the community was a male-dominated society. Women are CEOs today. Women are starting and coming up with ideas,” Kyalo said.
He added that the awards seek to honour women who go beyond personal success to uplift communities and inspire change.
“Today we’re celebrating a woman of excellence, not only a woman." A woman who has done something impactful to society. A woman who is shaping our community because they’re going the extra mile to sacrifice their time,” he said.
Other award recipients included Lulu Hassan, Mwanahamisi Amadi and media personality Pauline Shegu, among others.
