Kenyan Lucy Gichuhi is set to become the first person of African descent
to be elected as senator in Australia following a successful vote
recount. It is reported that if her election is confirmed by the high
court she will be the first candidate of African descent to be elected
to the federal parliament.
Gichuhi came second after the winner Bob Day. She was considered eligible after Day was forced to step down.
She was the only other candidate besides Mr Day seeking to represent the
state of South Australia in the Senate through the Family First Party.
Based on the votes the party garnered, only Mr Day could go to the
Senate and the result was tough luck for Mrs Gichuhi, whose dream of
being a senator had to wait at least till the next general election.
She won the recount conducted on the orders of an Australian High Court in its April 5 verdict.
Now all she needs is an official declaration of the recount by the court
before she becomes one of Australia’s 76 senators, the Daily Nation
reports.
In an interview with the ABC News Mrs Gichuhi said, “I am honoured and
grateful for this opportunity to serve Australia. I see it as an
opportunity to give back to this great nation.”
Mrs Gichuhi, a lawyer, was born in in Hiriga village in Nyeri County which is in Central Kenya.
She, together with her husband and their three children, moved to
Australia in 1999 and became a citizen two years later, ABC News
reports.
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