Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation is pushing for more strategic leadership positions in the next government to power up economic devolution.
MYWO national chairperson Rahab Muiu said it's over 4 million members across the country can influence the outcome of the presidential election.
She said women should be placed in positions where they can play key roles in governance and political revolution.
“These women who will cast their votes for Azimio la Umoja but they need to be paid. We’ve heard there is going to be economic devolution. It has to start with women,” Muiu said.
MYWO has begun countrywide celebrations to mark its 70th anniversary.
It held the inaugural celebrations in Kakamega town on Monday.
The event was graced by Public Service CS Prof Margaret Kobia and attended by her sports counterpart Amina Mohammed.
Other celebrations will be held in Central, Eastern, Nyanza, Coast, North-Eastern, Rift Valley and Nairobi regions.
Kobia hailed women who made tremendous contributions in leadership in the last seven decades.
She said the organisation has played an important role in implementing and coordinating policies regarding women in leadership, economic empowerment, women's peace and security and eradication of GBV.
Kobia cited Mama Ngina Kenyatta, Jane Kiano, Phoebe Asiyo, first Kisumu female mayor Grace Onyango, Julia Ojiambo, Senator Zipporah Kittony.
Others are Joan Mjomba, Mama Shitaka among current members, patrons and leaders of the organisation who have been recognised by the government for outstanding contributions to leadership.
“These are the pathfinders who broke the glass ceiling and on whose shoulders we stand on today,” Kobia said.
The CS credited the country’s improved access to health, education and life expectancy and wellbeing to the women leaders.
“Part of this success can be attributed to the work that is done by MYWO,” she said.
According to the Gender Development Index that measures a country’s access to education, health, life expectancy and wellbeing, Kenya has improved from position 118 in 2018 to 95 in 2020 out of 186 countries evaluated.
CS Amina called on the country to start building systems and developing pro-women policies, to protect them and ensure equality and gender representation.
“We must now revisit and do away with the remaining challenges affecting women and systems that are no longer helpful to us,” Amina said.
She said MYWO 70th anniversary celebrations capture women's resilience in the journey towards gender equality and women empowerment.
MYWO was used by the colonial government to rally Africans against the Mau Mau movement between 1952 and 1957.
In 1963 supported Jomo Kenyatta to mobilise for development initiatives under the famous Harambee motto.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
