From Catwalk to Senate: Hezena Lemaletian's journey of elegance and advocacy

Attired in an elegant white dress, a colourful, beaded Samburu neckpiece underscoring her love for her roots, Hezena Lemaletian was a picture of elegance as she walked on to the stage to address the gathering at the Global Justice, Love and Peace Summit at the Dubai Expo hall recently.

The charming, no-nonsense senator who represents the Orange Democratic Movement in the Kenyan Parliament made a powerful speech on justice and peace, and how love and respect for fellow humans can help heal the world.

A woman who once graced the catwalks in glittering gowns and elegant heels, and was crowned Miss Commonwealth Kenya, today walks the corridors of the Kenyan Senate in heels just as high but the crown she wears now is clearly one of responsibility, purpose, and public service. “I still carry myself with grace,” says Lemaletian, her voice soft but firm. “That never changed. But now, it’s not about the stage. It’s about service.”

A fierce advocate for the Samburu community and marginalised groups across Kenya, Lemaletian has quickly become a standout voice in the country’s political and civil society landscape.

Dubbed the Queen of the North, Lemaletian’s rise from a pastoral community in Samburu to the national political stage is anything but ordinary. Her nickname, she explains, is more than a nod to her beauty queen days; it’s deeply rooted in her ancestry.

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You’re an inspiration to many girls. What 3 tips can you offer to help them make a mark?

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“My family comes from a royal dynasty in Ethiopia,” she tells me on the sidelines of the summit in Dubai. “We migrated south to Kenya. People started calling me the Queen of the North when I became the first girl from northern Kenya to win a national beauty crown. And it just stuck.”

Born and raised in Samburu County, Lemaletian earned a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance, and before stepping into the political arena, built a solid foundation in public service, working as a Finance Assistant at the Tourism Fund and later at the Ministry of Environment, Mineral and Natural Resources.

She first gained national recognition not in the halls of parliament, but on the runway making history as the first woman from northern Kenya to win the Miss Commonwealth Kenya crown. She used the platform not for glamour but for impact, championing peace, gender equality, and youth empowerment. “The beauty pageant world taught me grace and warmth; politics taught me resolve. I bring both to the people I serve,” she says with a smile. For Lemaletian, her beauty pageant experience wasn’t a detour from public service; it was the foundation. It taught her poise, confidence, and the ability to connect with people on a human level. “You’re trained to treat people with warmth. To listen. To carry yourself with dignity. Those are leadership qualities too.” Her commitment to social change continued with the founding of the Pastoralists Sports Initiative, an organisation that fosters economic empowerment and unity through sports and cultural exchange.

She may be known as the Queen of the North, but her leadership style is radically down-to-earth, challenging the traditional image of a politician.

“People are used to politicians who make empty promises, who step on toes. I don’t promise what I can’t deliver, because integrity matters. I often walk the streets, talk to people, and take pictures. I want them to see that leadership is about servanthood. If you can’t serve people, you can’t lead them.”

It’s a philosophy that extends to her office at Parliament, which she says is open to all, no connections required. “If you know where my office is, you can walk in. Just follow the usual protocol. You don’t need to know someone to access your leaders. I made that vow when I got here.”

Raised in a humble household by a civil servant father - himself a district commissioner - Lemaletian grew up watching leadership from close quarters. But entering politics herself was no easy path. As a young woman from a minority community, she had no political patron, no influential godfather, and no one pulling strings behind the scenes, she says. “I just kept pushing until someone noticed. That’s how I got my break. And that’s why I try to mentor others now, especially girls and young people who think politics isn’t for them.”

Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including the African Leadership Hall of Fame Award and the Exceptional Young African Leaders Award, both honouring her advocacy for youth and women. She’s also a strong advocate for bringing indigenous leadership into the modern era. In a country with more than 40 recognized tribes including a vibrant Kenyan-Indian community, unity and inclusion, she says, are never to be taken for granted. “Yes, we’re culturally complex. During campaigns, tribal politics rears its head. But after elections, we go back to being one people. And that’s what we must keep striving for.”

It’s part of why she embraces the digital age so enthusiastically. Leaders, she believes, need to meet people where they are, especially the youth. “Leadership must evolve. We can’t use 1960s methods on a 21st-century population. Today, the internet is the new town hall. Social media is where the youth are. And in Kenya, like many countries, the youth make up more than 75% of the population.” She advocates for integrating technology into governance.

It’s not just policy that concerns her. It’s also the everyday interactions - the micro-moments of how people in power behave when no one’s watching.

“Humility is everything. No matter who you are, someone will always be smarter, better looking, or more successful. In another culture, your brilliance might not even register. So stay grounded. I live by that.”

Lemaletian, who has visited the UAE several times, says she finds this country a happy place to live in. “I have visited Dubai previously as well and I would love to return too,” says the senator, with a smile.