Women leaders in Mombasa county have urged President William Ruto to subsidise all household commodities.
Recently, Ruto announced the government will remove all taxes on Liquified Petroleum Gas.
Speaking during International Women’s Day celebrations in Mwakirunge on Wednesday, Likoni MP Mishi Mboko said many Kenyans are going hungry.
She said many cannot afford to buy maize flour at Sh200 and many parents have failed to take their children to school because of the high cost of living.
“When the President is subsidising gas, let him also subsidise other commodities like maize flour and education. Let him not remove Helb because how will our university children go to school?” Mboko said.
“We want to tell him that our celebrations will only reach the climax when he agrees to our request to ensure that women get maize flour and children are taken to school.”
The lawmaker urged women to be on the front line fighting for space in political spheres.
“Today, we have seven more female governors, that is seven of them compared to the previous election where we had only three. This means that we are on the right trajectory and we might also win the presidency as women leaders too and be led by a woman president like Samia Suluhu in neighbouring Tanzania,” she said.
Mboko cited the example of Estonia, where both the President and the Prime Minister are women.
“I am a good example. If we start telling stories, then I will tell my own story. I come from a humble background, but today I have been an MP for Likoni for two terms and now I am also a commissioner at the Parliamentary Service Commission,” she said.
“Today in the coastal region we have Aisha Jumwa Katana (Gender Cabinet Secretary), therefore, as women, we have an opportunity to change this country.”
The Likoni MP urged President Ruto to bring back ‘Kazi kwa Vijana’ programme to address the problem of unemployment.
She also called for universal health coverage.
Shimanzi MCA Sheila Mumba urged women to take advantage of technology to grow in business.
“As women in leadership, we all started from somewhere before we rose to where we are. Therefore, I want to tell women that the digital space should be one thing helping them to rise in their businesses, boost their lives and expand their businesses,” she said.
Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya
