Edna Chepkurui Laboso 

Chepkurui Laboso is starting Missing Third Project, an organization that will use research and advocacy to champion Kenyan women’s participation in political leadership. Her vision is to give a platform to women who are passionate about leadership but face barriers due to their cultural backgrounds, including women from rural communities who are often left out of mainstream media and civic spaces. She hopes her work helps support the passing of the 2/3 affirmative action rule which would ensure women’s participation as integral across national social, economic and political leadership roles.  

Chepkurui Laboso earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the United States International University (USIU-Africa), in Nairobi, Kenya.  In 2022, she participated in the party primaries for the United Democratic Alliance of Kenya party as a candidate for the Member of County Assembly (MCA).  She was the only woman candidate among six men and ranked 6th place in a political context that did not believe in women’s leadership. Chepkurui Laboso is actively involved in a grassroots women’s movement and hopes to continue educating women and her community on the importance of including women in leadership roles and supporting girls through education to set them up for success and inclusion in the future.