Has the struggle for economic empowerment of women and gender equality in political leadership in Kenya been achieved? Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau says no.
Although the stranglehold is not as overbearing as before the 2010 constitution was adopted, Mwau says women must keep fighting to win key positions in decision-making institutions.
Her views were supported by Kenya National Commission on Human Rights commissioner Jedidah Waruhiu, Kayole South MCA Elizabeth Manyala and Kibra parliamentary aspirant Doreen Wasike.
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES
“We have 47 elected governors and senators - all men - and 16 women nominated to the Senate. I know what it means to be nominated because I was once nominated to Parliament. You are basically not seen as a full member of Parliament,” Mwau told the Star.
“I believe the struggle continues but we are not where we were before the 2010 constitution. As I complain, I can see something.”
The 47 county MPs are seen as flower girls in Parliament and Mwau says women must seek influential positions, where they will be at the centre of decision-making.
“If it was really a position that has power, these women MPs would not go for a constituency seat,” Mwau.
She said governor aspirants Anne Waiguru, Cecily Mbarire Charity Ngilu, Martha Karua and Wavinya Ndeti might all not be elected in the August 8 general election because of patriarchy in society, although they are well-educated and have all it takes to be governors, and better ones at that. Instead, election of men-only governors and senators could recur.
“I might be the first woman to be elected governor when I vie for the seat in Makueni county in 2022,” she said.
Mwau said men have been socialised that they are the leaders and women are followers, and therefore the, “the battle continues”.
“Even at this age when I am a deputy governor, after being a nominated MP, vying for an election, being a minister, being in the struggle [for multiparty democracy and the constitutional review] and serving in commissions, I am still invisible,” she said.
“I feel invisible all the time but I have agreed this is a struggle and I will not be violent about it because if you become violent, they will say you are emotional, yet you are asking for your space.”
LITANY OF WOES
Mwau says the main problems women seeking leadership positions face are lack of funds, political violence, male chauvinism and insensitive political parties.
She says for example, for you to run for governor, political parties require you to pay half a million shillings, and they don’t reduce the amount for women.
“For you to vie for MP, you need Sh250,000, and there is no gender question of: Can women afford this? Can we consider them and be affirmative?” Mwau says.
“For MCA, it is Sh100,000. Even to get that Sh100,000 for those vying in Makueni county, it is going to be impossible. We might do a fundraiser to get that money. The women’s economic situation is one thing that bars them.”
Mwau said Kenya’s political culture has become a culture of kitu kidogo, so a lot of women will not get support for lack of money for voter bribery, transfer of voters and other ills practised to win elections. And since many women have not had an opportunity to steal from public coffers and amass massive wealth for themselves, they are unlikely to mount a victorious campaign.
The deputy governor said party politics, uninhibited political violence targeting women and open bias against them have barred many women from seeking elective seats.
Mwau said violence is going to be one of the barriers for women to go for political seats, especially in places like Nairobi, Murang’a, Nyeri, Mombasa, Kisumu, Meru and Embu, Kitui and Machakos counties.
She said Nasa leadership has four men [Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula]. She said the alliance lacks women representation at the top.
Mwau said when it comes to negotiations on how nominations are going to be shared, there are no women’s voices in the outfit.
“Can’t you look and see that there’s no woman [at the top], and the constitution says there is affirmative action? Why can’t you bring one woman there, even if she is a flower co-principal?”
“Women, can’t we see this and say no? Yes, we love you as Nasa, we want to liberate this country from bad governance, but you cannot do it alone. You need to take us along,” Mwau said.
Commissioner Waruhiu says women do desire to be in leadership and decision-making positions from the highest office, the presidency, to the lowest, the MCA.
She said women have the skills and the drive but the environment they live in does not enable or include them in the process and there are a lot of things that exclude them.
Waruhiu concurred with Mwau that male chauvinism, criminal activities that go hand in hand with politics, and unrealistic expectations on women have hindered many of them from participating in polls.
“From the time you are born as a girl, you are socialised to be quieter, decent, careful around yourself, and a man is the one who should always lead, and that is not a bad thing,” Waruhiu said.
“But what that has meant in real life is that if you become a vocal and outspoken person, then people are unable to identify you positively because that is a male attribute. If you are physically vicious, that is not a good attribute for you but for men, it is masculinity.”
Waruhiu said many politicians are violent and have their own youths squads, comprised of mainly young men, to protect them from physical aggression.
PRIVACY, DIGNITY CONCERNS
MCA Manyala said the violence has scared many women from vying for senior elective seats.
She said the notion that in politics you have to claim a slot aggressively has created room for vicious fights that have elbowed out women because not many can engage in violent activities.
“Even if you give me a gun today to shoot, because of that motherhood in me, I will drop the gun and scream, and leave that gun, because I cannot hurt someone; I am timid,” Manyala said.
“With the violence we saw in Migori, do you think any woman would dare to stand for the governor’s seat there?” she asked.
The chairperson of the 47 Counties’ Women Caucus said sometimes when people fight in political contests, they want to undress each other.
“As a woman I am a sister, a mother, grandmother, aunt, mother-in-law and a wife. I am the mother of the society. If somebody undresses me and exposes that nudity, that already affects my whole family, and the family tree will never be the same again,” she said.
“Who will even want to marry my daughter? She will be referred to as the daughter of that woman who was seen naked.”
Waruhiu said many women would not want to be intimidated and ridiculed in public about their private life.
“The first question is: are you married? If not, that is bad. Do you have children? If you don’t, that is bad. What is the status of your husband? If he is a drunkard or not doing well, then that is your problem. That is the kind of negative attention,” Waruhiu said.
The KNCHR commissioner said women are very conscious about their privacy and dignity.
Mwau said women must work three or more times than a man to establish themselves.
Whether a woman has gone to school and gotten good grades doesn’t matter. Her social status must be an “A” material, according to the community, and if there is a small blemish, then she is out, and will always require protection from physical and verbal abuse.
Aspirant Wasike said women need to drop political and ethnic affiliations and support each other to win elective seats, for the advantage of all.
Manyala said sometimes women aspirants work very hard but fellow women offer them little or no support.