From broken presidential promises to climate change decisions: The missing women at Kenya's power tables
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti (with microphone) in the company of women governors, local leaders and organised women groups during a summit on women in leadership in Machakos Town on August 16, 2024. The summit saw women governors unveil a plan to make a woman deputy president in the 2027 General Election.
What you need to know:
- Women's leadership globally remains critically low, exemplified by COP29 where only 8 out of 78 leaders are women and Kenya's recent replacement of key female leaders with men.
- The Covid-19 pandemic showed the effectiveness of women's leadership, with female-led countries demonstrating better crisis management and recovery outcomes.
- Despite current setbacks, Dr Jacqueline Kitulu's appointment as World Medical Association President offers hope and demonstrates what's possible when merit prevails over gender barriers.
The responses to last week's piece about Vice President Kamala Harris have stayed with me all week, prompting deeper reflection on our collective journey toward gender equality in leadership. What strikes me most isn't the disagreement – healthy democracies thrive on diverse viewpoints – but rather how discussions about women in leadership positions still trigger such visceral reactions in 2024.
The data tells a story that transcends personal opinions. At the ongoing COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, women account for just 8 out of 78 world leaders participating in crucial climate change discussions. This 10 per cent representation comes at a time when women and girls globally bear the heaviest burden of climate change impacts, particularly in rural areas where the search for water and firewood grows more challenging by the day.
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous recently observed, Sima Bahous. When women lead alongside men, we see more inclusive solutions, better resource allocation, and stronger democracies."
Here in Kenya, women's leadership has taken concerning steps backward. During his presidential campaign, President William Ruto made compelling promises about women's inclusion in leadership, pledging to ensure gender parity in his administration and strengthen women's voices in decision-making processes. Today, those promises ring hollow. The recent replacements of Florence Kajuju at the Office of the Ombudsman, Anne Makori at the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) Kenya, and Lyn Mengich at the Salaries and Remuneration Commission with male counterparts are just the latest examples of this retreat from commitment to women's leadership. The women of Kenya, who took these campaign promises to heart and supported the vision of inclusive governance, now find themselves marginalised in policy-making spaces.
The Covid-19 pandemic offered compelling insights into the value of diverse leadership. Countries led by women – including New Zealand under Jacinda Ardern, Finland under Sanna Marin, and Taiwan under Tsai Ing-wen – demonstrated remarkable crisis management, with lower death rates and more resilient economic recovery patterns. These outcomes weren't about gender superiority; they highlighted how different perspectives and leadership styles can enhance governance.
Recent discussions about education in Kenya have highlighted concerns about more boys than girls dropping out of school – a genuinely worrying trend that deserves serious attention. Yet this challenge exists alongside persistent barriers to women's leadership advancement. Both issues matter, and addressing one doesn't diminish the importance of the other. Rather, it underscores how gender equality benefits everyone, creating spaces where both women and men can thrive.
Inclusive leadership
The path toward equal representation isn't a zero-sum game where one gender's gain automatically translates to another's loss. Research consistently shows that organisations and nations with gender-balanced leadership demonstrate better outcomes across health, education, economic growth, and environmental sustainability metrics. This isn't about politics or preferences – it's about creating the most effective and inclusive decision-making structures possible.
Looking ahead, my commitment to highlighting these issues remains unwavering. The conversation about gender equality in leadership isn't just about numbers or quotas – it's about building a society that benefits from all its talent. It's about ensuring that when crucial decisions are made about climate change, education, healthcare, or any other vital issue, the decision-makers reflect the full spectrum of experiences and perspectives in our communities.
Prestigious role
Yet even in these challenging times, there are moments that restore hope and affirm the capabilities of women in leadership. The recent appointment of Dr Jacqueline Kitulu as President of the World Medical Association (WMA) stands as a powerful testament to what's possible when merit prevails. As she steps into this prestigious role, Dr Kitulu not only represents Kenya on the global stage but also reminds us that progress, though sometimes slow, is inevitable when barriers are removed and talent is recognised.
While the road may be longer than expected, and despite the disappointment of broken promises, bright spots like Dr Kitulu's achievement remind us that the destination – a society where leadership potential truly transcends gender – is worth pursuing.
