Kenyan-Born Vying For Seat In The US Blasts Kenya’s Electorate
Huldah Hiltsley, a Kenyan-born American candidate in the US elections, has revealed that the main distinction between competing in Kenya and the United States of America is the voter approach, in which voters are paid to vote for a specific candidate.
After door-knocking in Maple Grove, team Huldah headed to St. Paul! Big thanks to Com. @renamoran for inviting us to phonebank!
— Huldah for House (@Huldah4House) October 27, 2024
Meanwhile, JAYDAH found her true calling — official snack supervisor!#DoSomething #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/kJfWYT7C0E
In an interview with Voice of America’s Abdushakur Aboud, Hulda revealed that, despite leaving Kenya when she was nine, she has been following its politics and has identified some issues that the country should address.
According to the candidate running for the Minnesota House of Representatives, the main difference between Kenya and the United States is the voter approach.
In Kenya, voters are paid to vote, whereas in the United States, candidates must persuade voters to vote for them based on their agenda.
“I do pay attention to how Kenyan politics are run. The biggest difference between running in the US and Kenya is how the candidates approach the voters,” Huldah revealed.
“Kenya, we know how it is, it’s a matter of unfortunately buying votes, and that’s something that Kenya has to work on and address.”
“But here in the US is completely the opposite you have to go the voters, where they are, and ask them for their support and that literally means going door to door making sure that you are communicating your message to the Constituency and hoping to earn their votes,” the candidate contrasted.
Hiltsley is running for Minnesota State Senate District 38A (the equivalent of a constituency here) under the Democratic Party banner, with the goal of becoming the first Kenyan-born immigrant elected to any state legislature in the United States.
Huldah revealed that being an immigrant and a woman of color has posed a significant challenge to her campaign.
“There’s the two-edged sword where my skills, experience, education everything is looked up from a perspective of what do I know are you even qualified,” she revealed.
Despite the obstacles, Huldah is confident that her strong campaign team has made enough sacrifices to propel her to victory.
Huldah was born in Nyamira County in 1985 to Philip and Tabitha Momanyi. They moved to the United States nine years later. She earned a master’s degree from Bethel University in Minnesota.
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If she wins the seat, she will be the first immigrant elected to a state legislature in the United States.
“If elected, I will be the first black woman in the Senate in its 164-year history,” Huldah told The Nation in an interview in April 2022.
“I will be the first African-American, African immigrant, and the first Kenyan-American elected into the Minnesota legislature.”
If elected, her responsibilities would include introducing bills and resolutions, proposing amendments, and serving on committees.
Kenyan-Born Vying For Seat In The US Blasts Kenya’s Electorate
