Beyond election day: How sexism transcends party lines in Kenyan politics
From parliamentary sexism to online harassment, women face multi-faceted barriers to political participation across all levels of government.
What you need to know:
- Despite claims that gender plays no role in political outcomes, local attitudes reveal persistent biases that affect how women candidates are perceived and evaluated.
- From parliamentary sexism to online harassment, women face multi-faceted barriers to political participation across all levels of government.
- Cultural attitudes and institutional practices continue to limit women's leadership opportunities, even as research shows women-led countries perform effectively in crisis management.
In the lush, fertile slopes of Mount Kenya sits Meru County, a place of striking natural beauty—and now, a symbolic battlefield in Kenya's ongoing struggle for gender equality in politics.
As Women's History Month unfolded in March—a celebration imported from the United States but resonant globally—an ironic drama played out in this region where women outnumber men by 10,277 (777,975 women compared to 767,698 men).
Kawira Mwangaza, who in 2022 made history as the first woman to govern Meru County, was unceremoniously removed from office following her third impeachment attempt. The High Court's March ruling upheld her removal, ending a tumultuous chapter that raises profound questions about gender and power in Kenyan politics.
Twice before, Mwangaza had survived impeachment proceedings, presenting evidence to the Senate that included shocking footage of Tigania East Member of Parliament (MP) Mpuru Aburi making blatantly sexist remarks against her—remarks that drew enthusiastic cheers from young men in attendance.
The irony of Mwangaza's final fall from grace occurring during Women's History Month—a time meant to celebrate women's achievements—is impossible to ignore. But beyond the symbolism lies a more troubling question: Has the deeply entrenched bias against women in politics been acknowledged, let alone addressed?
"We are not male chauvinists"
Local leaders in Meru vehemently reject the notion that gender played any role in Mwangaza's impeachment. Josphat Murangiri, secretary-general for programmes at the influential Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders, insists: "It is not true that we are against women leaders. We were lacking leadership here in Meru. We are not male chauvinists, as has been claimed. The council of elders is proud to be associated with competent women leaders."
Murangiri emphasises that Njuri Ncheke works closely with women administrators across government and civic spaces.
"The impeachment of the Meru governor had nothing to do with her gender. If it were a man behaving in the same way, he would have faced similar consequences," he maintains.
Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza when she appeared before the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration on January 28, 2025.
Washington Mbaya, the council's secretary-general for operations, frames the issue as a matter of leadership quality rather than gender bias: "Meru has never declared war against women leaders but has declared war against poor leadership by the former governor."
Similar sentiments echo throughout the county. Frank Munene from Ntima East claims to remain supportive of women in leadership despite Mwangaza's impeachment.
"I was at the forefront in advocating for the nomination of a woman as deputy after the new governor was sworn in. As a youthful politician, I encourage more women to vie in 2027," he says.
Charles Thuranira, secretary-general of the Meru Boda Boda Association, likewise insists that Mwangaza's removal shouldn't tarnish opportunities for other women leaders.
"Anyone who seeks the position of governor must have strong leadership skills, irrespective of gender. Mwangaza failed to demonstrate leadership, and this had nothing to do with her gender," he argues, adding that he would support politicians with strong manifestos regardless of gender.
Even MP Aburi — the same politician caught on camera making sexist remarks against Mwangaza — now proclaims: "Go and show the world it was never about male chauvinism but about incompetence."
Shifting perceptions
But beneath these public declarations of gender neutrality, troubling undercurrents are emerging. Some local political aspirants admit that while they don't believe gender was the primary factor in Mwangaza's impeachment, her case has nevertheless altered their perceptions of women in leadership.
Anthony Miriti, who is eyeing a seat in Abothuguchi West Ward, maintains that "Kawira failed in governance and in managing local politics. She was impeached because of her personal failures. It is unfortunate that the gender card was used to cover up her shortcomings." Yet in the same breath, he acknowledges that future women candidates would need to "work harder to convince him" to vote for them—a standard not apparently applied to male candidates.
More concerning is the perspective shared by Festus Kithinji from Tigania West. While agreeing that Mwangaza's personal shortcomings, not her gender, led to her removal, he candidly admits: "The impeachment was not about gender, but it has changed my perception of women leaders. I would feel more comfortable supporting a woman as a running mate in 2027."
These shifting attitudes reveal how quickly individual cases can be weaponised to undermine an entire demographic's leadership potential—a pattern that repeats itself throughout Kenya's political landscape.
From physical to digital violence
The hostility facing women in Kenyan politics extends far beyond Meru County, taking increasingly virulent forms in digital spaces. In August 2022, when six women secured electoral victories in Nakuru County—including positions as governor, senator, and four Members of Parliament—the achievement was met with targeted online attacks.
A social media account with the handle @DJ_Nonsense254 posted a photo of the newly elected women leaders with the caption: "Life will be difficult for the people of Nakuru if (all) its leaders menstruate in the same week."
Though the platform later suspended the account, the damage was already done—the post had garnered 1,424 likes, 313 retweets, and 49 quote tweets, amplifying its misogynistic message to thousands.
Everlyne Komba, an international gender specialist, attributes such narratives to deeply conservative beliefs that women are inherently unfit for leadership due to their reproductive biology.
"By the time a woman seeks such a position, she knows how to manage herself and has mastered the art of emotional intelligence," she noted in 2022, challenging the underlying assumption.
Research contradicts these sexist assumptions. A 2020 study by the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the World Economic Forum found that women-led countries including New Zealand, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Taiwan managed the Covid-19 pandemic more effectively than their male-led counterparts.
General election
During the general election, Kenyan voters elected 29 women as Members of Parliament (MPs) representing single constituencies, an increase from 23 in 2017.
Cabinet nominees
President William Ruto announced his Cabinet nominees. Among them was Alice Wahome, who had been elected as the Kandara MP, appointed as Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation. In the by-election that followed, a man was elected to replace her. Consequently, the number of elected women legislators in the National Assembly dropped to 28.
At the same time, President Ruto backtracked on his commitment to a gender-equal Cabinet, appointing only seven women as CSs.
Fresh Cabinet appointments
President Ruto made fresh Cabinet appointments after dissolving it in response to deadly anti-finance bill protests led by Gen Z activists. While he retained some of the previous CSs, one of the new appointees was Stella Lang’at, nominated for the Gender docket.
Rejected by committee
Stella was rejected by the National Assembly Committee on Appointments for failing to demonstrate an adequate understanding of the Gender docket.
Mini-Cabinet reshuffle
President Ruto conducted a mini-Cabinet reshuffle, which led to the removal of ICT Cabinet Secretary Dr Margaret Ndung’u. She was replaced by former Kiambu County Governor William Kabogo. Dr Margaret was reassigned as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Ghana, a position she declined.
Her removal reduced the number of women CSs to five. Additionally, the vacancy in the Gender docket remained unfilled, marking a significant decline in women's representation in the executive arm of government. The acting Gender CS is also a man, the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
Political agreement
President Ruto entered into a political agreement with ODM leader Raila Odinga after Odinga lost his bid for the African Union Commission chairperson seat in Addis Ababa. This occurred as the UDA and ODM parties punished members who had supported the impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua by removing them from leadership positions in parliamentary committees. These changes affected women’s leadership in Parliament.
Before the changes, four of the 25 audit, appropriations, and other select committees were led by women legislators. However, following the reshuffle, Gathoni Wa Muchomba (Githunguri MP) was removed as chairperson of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee, reducing the number of women-led select committees to three.
Impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza
At the same time, the High Court upheld the impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, ruling that the process leading to her removal was lawful. Consequently, the number of elected women governors fell from seven to six, despite earlier celebrations over the increase from three in the 2017 general election.
Illustrated by Geoffrey Onyambu
Dr Okumba Miruka, a development consultant, points out the illogical foundations of menstruation-based discrimination. He notes that such views persist partially due to religious traditions that consider menstruation "unclean" and bar women from certain religious practices during their periods.
"Menses are now managed by available sanitary pads and do not have to result in poor hygiene. Denying women positions or public presence due to menstruation is discriminatory and uses a private matter to perpetuate exclusion," he explains.
Parliamentary pulpit of misogyny
Perhaps most troubling is how male politicians—figures wielding significant influence over public opinion—have repeatedly deployed sexist rhetoric against their female colleagues with virtual impunity.
Between 2020 and 2022, as political campaigns intensified, women candidates faced a barrage of gender-based attacks. Parliament itself became a forum for misogynistic expression rather than a bulwark against it.
Edwin Sifuna, Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), demonstrated this tendency during a December 2020 rally in Msambweni, Kwale County. There, he made unconscionable remarks about then-Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, suggesting she was not a "suitable candidate for rape." Though he later expressed regret after being summoned by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the damage to both Jumwa and women's political participation more broadly had been done.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino similarly resorted to sexist attacks in January 2020 when then-Kandara MP Alice Wahome (now Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development) criticised then-President Uhuru Kenyatta's leadership. Babu's Twitter response was so egregiously offensive that it violated all editorial guidelines of the Nation Media Group and cannot be repeated even in paraphrase.
The same year, Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi launched sexually charged attacks against then-Murang'a Woman Representative Sabina Chege (now a nominated MP). His offensive was triggered merely because Sabina had led a demonstration demanding Sudi apologise for insulting Mama Ngina Kenyatta. The remarks were too offensive to be repeated.
Perhaps most revealing was South Mugirango MP Silvanos Osoro's defence of Peninah Malonza in October 2022, after the National Assembly Committee on Appointments rejected her nomination for the Tourism, Wildlife, and Heritage docket. Rather than addressing substantive concerns about competence, Osoro absurdly suggested that Malonza might have failed her interview "because she was on her menses" — reducing a professional assessment to crude biological determinism.
Breaking the cycle
Dr Nancy Baraza, chair of the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence, has identified culture as a primary enabler of violence against women in all its forms. She calls for an end to repressive cultural practices that perpetuate gender inequality.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former UN Under-Secretary-General and executive director of UN Women, offered a path forward in her 2017 statement for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
"Prevention of violence must begin early," she urged. "The education system and teachers must lead in instilling the principles of equality, respect, and non-violence in future generations through appropriate curricula and role model behaviour."
mobiria@ke.nationmedia.com, dmuchui@ke.nationmedia.com