The attempt to remove Nairobi speaker Beatrice Elachi from office shows strong women leaders are feared, Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia has said.
The Public Service, Gender and Youth Affairs minister said due process must be followed if any leader, man or woman, is to be removed in a leadership position.
"A group of people cannot just come in the office and say you should get out. What happened to the speaker is disturbing," Kobia said.
She spoke at the 6th Annual Women in Leadership Conference at Sarova Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa on
Wednesday.
The meeting was organised by the Kenya Institute of Management.
MCAs impeached Elachi on September 6, citing "gross misconduct". Some 103 MCAs voted to remove her from office, two voted against while two others abstained.
Hours later, the speaker obtained a court order reinstating her.
Related:
Ward representatives accused Elachi of using public funds for "dubious trips" to the US and Dubai, interfering with the Women Caucus elections where she unilaterally cancelled the results and ordered a fresh election, among other things.
Kobia lamented that Elachi was not given a chance to defend herself.
"We strongly feel sometimes women are more vulnerable. Maybe some people think strong women need to be removed from positions, not because they have done anything wrong, but because their leadership is not easily accepted," the CS said.
Kobia said she was confident the courts would deal with the matter and that justice will be served.
Despite the isolated incidents, the Cabinet Secretary said the country has made significant progress is accepting the leadership of women.
"Women’s struggle for leadership is a global issue. Kenyans are ready for it," Kobia said.
However, the CS was coy on whether Kenya is ready for a woman President. "That is for Kenyans to decide," she said.
However, Kobia said it is not as simple as it looks.
"There are social-cultural inhibitors that prevent women from rising to that position. It is a journey and I’m sure one time Kenya will have a woman President. Why not?" she said.
Also see:
Read: