'Dignity is auctioned!' Kisumu women condemn sexist political rhetoric at ODM rally
Suspended Siaya County Information Management Officer Makamu Richard Omondi, popularly known as Makamu wa Makamu. He has been accused of using a sexist language at a recent political rally.
What you need to know:
- Kisumu women leaders condemn sexualised political remarks, warning misogynistic rhetoric undermines female leadership, fuels violence and erodes democratic political discourse.
- Analysts warn sexualised rhetoric in politics distracts from policy debates, normalises disrespect and signals declining ethical standards within Kenya’s leadership culture.
Last Wednesday afternoon in Kisumu, the Orange Democratic Movement held its Linda Ground rally. Politicians took turns at the microphone. Then came Makamu Richard Omondi.
Known widely as Makamu wa Makamu, the Siaya County employee and political commentator is a familiar face at such events. Protocol at these rallies is often adjusted to accommodate him; he is given the floor, sometimes after senior leaders, to fire up the crowd.
Makamu made light of the contest for the ODM secretary-general position, a race in which the Linda Ground team has been backing Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo to replace Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. He sexualised the competition, insinuating that such matters could be settled through sexual contact.
He also directed remarks at Mr Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor James Orengo, alleging that their Linda Wananchi campaign initiative was sex-driven. ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga, Ms Omanyo and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda were among the leaders present.
A section of women in Kisumu has since condemned the remarks. Led by Civil Society Organisation Network executive director Betty Okero, the women said the sentiments expressed by Makamu reflect a calculated historical strategy used to dehumanise female politicians.
"These sentiments are not merely crude jokes," Betty said. "They represent a calculated historical strategy to dehumanise women politicians and reduce their intellectual and leadership contributions to sexual tropes."
The women argued that female leaders continue to be objectified, trivialised and reduced to their physical appearance rather than recognised for their competence and leadership.
They demanded a public apology from Makamu and called on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to investigate the repeated use of demeaning political language. They also called on the Registrar of Political Parties to enforce stricter codes of conduct, including barring politicians who deploy sexualised rhetoric from seeking public office.
Betty said that beyond misogyny, such remarks create a pathway from verbal dehumanisation to physical assault and violence against women and girls. She termed sexualised comments and humiliation precursors to electoral violence.
"This is not a new script," she said. "There is abundant evidence of male politicians using sexual analogies to describe political alliances in public forums without facing consequences."
She further noted that women at rallies are sometimes encouraged to demean themselves for political entertainment, undermining progress made towards gender equality and discouraging young women from pursuing leadership.
Mutual respect
Kisumu resident Linda Ogweno said women cannot feel safe on the campaign trail while also expecting respect on political platforms. She expressed concern that women in politics are often urged to ignore insults and grow thick skins, effectively normalising humiliation and abuse.
"We demand political discourse defined by dignity, safety and mutual respect," she said. "Political platforms should not be used to degrade women, and we want to see structural changes and consequences."
Linda said such normalisation emboldens further disrespect and entrenches a political culture that objectifies women.
Siaya County suspended Makamu, who serves as the county's information management officer, and issued him a mandatory notice to show cause. The county cited gross misconduct and insubordination, invoking the Public Officer Ethics Act, the Public Service Disciplinary Manual and the Employment Act.
"This office is notified of an incident during a political activity within Kisumu County on February 25, at which you uttered unsavoury, derogatory, insulting and disrespectful remarks in reference to the Siaya governor," reads the suspension letter.
Governance analyst Javas Bigambo criticised the remarks, saying sexualising political leadership or insinuating pelvic connectivity as a pathway to office is demeaning and of no progressive value. He added that the leaders present had a responsibility to condemn the utterances, but instead remained silent, signalling a troubling tolerance of indecency in political spaces. He called on the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to enforce institutional discipline, integrity and appropriate leadership conduct.
Political analyst Ben Nyamweya said such language is often strategically deployed, with leaders tolerating or using obscene rhetoric because it rallies supporters, humiliates rivals and distracts from substantive policy debates.
"When crowds laugh at sexualised insults targeting senior figures without pushback, it reveals a degraded moral leadership landscape," he said. "Moral authority becomes tied to optics and crowd approval rather than consistent integrity."
Betty urged women leaders not to compromise their dignity for laughter or applause, saying leadership requires courage to confront sexism even when politically inconvenient. She also urged women not to encourage themselves to demean themselves for political entertainment.
"As women, we must refuse to turn the other cheek while our dignity is auctioned," she said. "Leadership is defined by competence, not endurance of abuse. Your body is not a political tool, and your silence is not consent."
