Senate Minority Whip Olekina Ledama’s sister Lilian Seenoi-Barr has made history as the first black mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council in Northern Ireland.
This Monday marks a significant milestone for her journey as she ascends to the position of mayor in the very city where she sought refuge 14 years ago.
Her path from her hometown of Narok in southern Kenya to the Guildhall in Londonderry has been a remarkable journey.
Seenoi-Barr’s inauguration ceremony at the Guildhall in Derry on June 3, 2024, will see the attendance of Senator Edwin Sifuna from Nairobi and Tabitha Karanja, the Senate Deputy Majority Leader.
The Social Democratic and Labour Party conveyed in a letter to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi their endorsement of Seenoi-Barr as a mayor who would serve the interests of all.
“This statement reflects on Lillian’s remarkable accomplishments as a human rights advocate, her tireless efforts for the community as a whole, and her unwavering commitment to the SDLP,” SDLP leader Column Eastwood said.
Eastwood expressed their utmost delight, stating that Lillian would also make history as the first black mayor in Northern Ireland.
“Seenoi-Barr, hailing from Oloombiokishi in Narok County, embodies the essence of both a Maasai woman and a Derry girl,” Eastwood added.
The party indicated that it was unable to pay for the tickets and accommodation for the three senators and therefore wrote to Kingi to facilitate them.
Derry, officially referred to as Derry/Londonderry, stands as a city immersed in history and cultural richness, situated in the northwest region of Northern Ireland.
Famous for its impeccably preserved 17th-century city walls, Derry provides a window into bygone eras while embracing contemporary influences.
Since 2021, Ms. Seenoi-Barr has served as a councilor for the Foyle side ward, initially appointed by the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and subsequently re-elected in the 2023 election, maintaining her position.
In 2010, she arrived in Derry with her son Brian and was granted refugee status.
Before that, her endeavors in her homeland of Kenya revolved around aiding women and girls from the Maasai tribe in challenging traditional tribal customs such as early marriage and female genital mutilation.
