A Kenyan woman has made history after being elected councillor in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom.
Lilian Seenoi-Barr was elected to represent the Foyleside area of Derry and Strabane Council in Northern Ireland. She is from Mau Narok in Nakuru County.
Ms Barr described her victory as “humbling,” and moved to social media on Saturday to thank Foyleside residents, adding, “I’m beyond delighted to have gained nearly 1,000 first preference votes and to now have an electoral mandate in my own right.”
Lilian Seenoi Barr is believed to be the first black person to serve on a council in the north, having been elected to Derry & Strabane Council.
The councillor was elected under the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). She defines herself as a community development practitioner and social justice campaigner.
Barr is the founder of the North West Migrants Forum, which supports, advises, and cares for Black and ethnic minority groups in Northern Ireland’s northwest region.
