August polls: How women are supporting one another
Kanu Women Congress national chairperson Betty Adera addresses journalists at her party's head offices in Nairobi on December 30, 2020.
What you need to know:
- In a February 1 forum of female aspirants and editors, Jane Kotut, an aspirant for Keiyo South MP seat, told women that elective bids required utmost support of the family members.
- And to deal with discrimination at rallies, Dr Juliet Kimemiah, who is in the Kiambu gubernatorial race, told the women to strategically position themselves for unpreventable visibility.
As the August General Election nears, women are increasingly embracing sisterhood to stir up their own to defy the odds and seek elective seats.
Through forums, they are encouraging themselves to run the race to the end, a strategy that possibly demystifies the analogy that “women are their own enemies.”
“Our voice is one no matter who you are supporting…and, therefore, we should move together so that in August election we get a critical mass of voices of influence in the county assemblies, Parliament and Senate,” said Betty Adera, Kanu Women Congress national chairperson, at a Nairobi hotel on Thursday.
“It is only then that the issues we need to deal with legislatively will ever see the light of day.”
Ms Adera was speaking to aspirants from various political parties at a women’s forum organised by the Ministry of Gender, Nairobi County and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services in partnership with a host of 12 civil society organisations.
Party politics
In 2020, Kanu fronted her for the Nairobi governor seat after the Senate upheld the impeachment of Mike Sonko.
“Make no mistake, nobody is going to give you that chance; you have to get it. How? Be aware and informed of the politics in your political party. This is very critical. You may think you’re their choice when, in actual fact, you are not,” Ms Adera said.
“Do not say you cannot go to those night meetings if they are the ones to determine who will be given the [nomination] card. Show up.”
In a February 1 forum of female aspirants and editors, Jane Kotut, an aspirant for Keiyo South parliamentary seat, told women that running for an elective seat required utmost support of the family members.
“Before you decide to vie, sit down the family [and let them know of your intentions]. Let them release you so that when you go round campaigning, you know you’ve got your family’s back,” said Ms Kotut during the forum organised by Journalists for Human Rights (JHR).
Tackling discrimination
And to deal with discrimination at political rallies, Dr Juliet Kimemiah, who is in the Kiambu gubernatorial race, told the women to strategically position themselves for unpreventable visibility.
“Be where you can be noticed and be given a chance to speak. You must be aggressive enough to ensure your presence is felt in your political party,” she said during the JHR meeting.
In a 2020 ‘Women and their Journey towards Electoral Contest in Kenya’ webinar by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy-Kenya, Kandara MP Alice Wahome said women must prove their value to their political parties for them to receive commensurate support.
“You will have a clout to have a political cost for your party. So that the party can see that you are of value to them. And that you should be the first to be cleared,” she said.
“Politics is a competition and you must agree to enter without expecting too much of favour—but too much of merit.”
