Kenyan-Born Yvonne Amolo Breaks Barriers to Become an Elected Swiss MP

Yvonne Apiyo Brandle Amolo has shared her journey of perseverance as she navigated the challenging path of leaving her native country of Kenya, renouncing her citizenship, and ultimately attaining a position as a Member of Parliament in Switzerland under the Social Democratic Party.

MP Amolo, one of the 245 elected representatives, credits her involvement in Swiss politics to her determined struggle with the immigration authorities, guaranteeing that she would not be left without a nationality. In a conversation with Victoria Rubadiri on Citizen TV, Amolo shares the story of how her connection with a Swiss man provided her the opportunity to reside in a foreign country, which she now considers her beloved home. When she was employed in guest relations at Nairobi's Sarova Panafric Hotel many years ago, she encountered her future partner, who eventually became her spouse.

A month after travelling to Switzerland, Amollo got engaged, leading to the remarkable journey that unfolded thereafter. However, upon arriving in the country, Amolo faced the formidable obstacle of language barriers as she was unfamiliar with the four languages spoken in Switzerland: German, Italian, French, and Rhaeto-Romanic. In no time, she landed an incredible job at a casino where she stood out as the sole individual of African descent.

However, her romantic relationship was brief and ended in divorce in 2009. Three years later, she was confronted with a notification letter that raised the possibility of her citizenship being revoked. This prompted her to take legal measures against the immigration department, alleging unjust discrimination despite her strict adherence to the law. This ordeal served as the inspiration for her to produce a remarkable film titled "Not Swiss Made," which became instrumental in preserving her Swiss passport. The film received widespread recognition, accumulating an impressive tally of 28 prestigious awards to date, and compelling the immigration department to rescind their deportation ultimatum.

According to MP Amolo, a fellow party member stumbled upon her film and declared, "We need this fearless black woman" commending her tenacity in advocating for migrant rights. As a direct result, they contacted the local leader of the area she was residing in to explore her potential interest in the political sphere. Her parents fully supported her studies, with the condition that should politics not match her aspirations, there'd be no obligation to return the financial outlay put in.

intending to instigate transformation, she crafted a proposition to elevate the presence of women in the military, fire, and police units within her vicinity to a minimum of 30%. Unfortunately, the legislation failed to gain approval as it fell short of two votes. Despite surpassing the age threshold of 26, she defied all expectations and enlisted in the military, specifically within the civilian protection division, where she unwaveringly championed the rights and assistance of migrants.

Continuing to serve in the armed forces, she has effectively motivated twelve women to join, leading to their subsequent advancements. Also, MP Amolo holds the esteemed role of President in the European Minority Parliamentarians Caucus, an organization dedicated to uniting minority Parliamentarians. Its purpose is to foster collaboration, exchange creative concepts, and offer mutual assistance in the quest for impactful leadership.

Up to this point, she has encountered 15 Kenyan Parliament members in Geneva, engaging in an intensive program that teaches negotiation techniques aimed at bridging the gaps between nations in the global north and the global south. Moreover, she has engaged with the Black Parliamentarian Caucus from the United States and Canada, and together they have formalized agreements to enhance their collaborative efforts. Presently, she finds herself in Kenya, where she plans to establish a memorandum of understanding with the Kenyan Parliament due to their expressed willingness to collaborate with her.