Rising together: The unlikely champions of gender equality in leadership
Loosuk Senior Chief Philip Lerno addresses a male engagement gathering in Maralal town.
What you need to know:
- For ages, leadership in most areas had been male-dominated, with powerful clans selecting political aspirants.
- By challenging traditional norms that have held women back, men are setting the stage for women to run for office with the full backing of their communities.
It's 6am when we depart Kajiado town for Nguruman near the Kenya-Tanzania border. The four-hour journey passes through Lake Magadi, whose scenic view is appealing. The lake is calm and quiet, save for a few mining activities.
After Lake Magadi, we drive for about three hours on a rough road. On both sides are vast tracts of land with herds of cattle and goats. The area is sparsely populated and the road is deserted for occasional one vehicle or boda boda. We finally arrive in Nguruman township, with the scorching sun unforgiving.
Here, a transformative initiative is unfolding. A group of elders and a number of morans (young men) have gathered. And in the midst of the group are chiefs, assistant chiefs, village elders, church leaders and Nyumba Kumi officials.
These are male champions from different parts of Kajiado County. They have become crucial allies in the fight for gender equality in leadership and are part of a broader effort to challenge deep-seated cultural barriers, offering crucial support for women seeking political leadership where progress has been slow.
They further lead peer-learning forums that bring together male and female gender champions to discuss pathways for women to participate in politics and governance.
For ages, leadership in the area has been male-dominated, with powerful clans selecting political aspirants. However, Joseph ole Sirai, a prominent elder, says the community cannot continue excluding women from leadership and expect to witness development.
“We cannot continue to make decisions that exclude half of our population. Our women have the skills and vision to lead, and we must stand behind them,” Joseph says.
By challenging traditional norms that have held women back, Joseph notes that the men are setting the stage for women to run for office with the full backing of their communities. He observes that by doing so, they are not just supporting women but also building a future where leadership is more inclusive and representative.
“We as Maasai elders now fully support women’s participation in politics and governance. Women make good leaders as they are compassionate and not greedy.”
Simon Lasiti, a moran from Ngurumani village in Magadi ward, adds that women, more so those living with disability, need to be empowered and involved in leadership. “Culture should not continue to derail women from getting to political leadership. We have decided to remove all the obstacles that have, for years, prevented them from seeking political leadership.”
Similarly, about 400 kilometres away in Samburu, another revolution is taking place in a deeply patriarchal community as men join hands to enhance women's political participation. On this chilly afternoon on the outskirts of Maralal town, a group of men are engage in a heated discussion under a tree. These male champions are at the forefront of rallying the community to support women’s leadership.
Despite Kenya’s constitutional requirement that not more than two-thirds of elective or appointive positions be held by the same gender, these counties and others remain a striking example of gender disparity.
John Leng’erded, the Uraia Trust Samburu County coordinator, says the project has been instrumental in building the capacity of women with political ambitions. He adds that the situation is encouraging as the community is slowly accepting women’s leadership.
“The people here are realising that women can also make good leaders; therefore, we are more likely to see more women get into leadership positions,” John says, calling on women nurturing political ambitions not to shy away from offering themselves for leadership positions when elections are called.
Samuel Lolkitekui, a Samburu elder, notes that culture has been a hindrance to women seeking elective leadership. The HeforShe champion observes that the community cannot continue sidelining women if it is keen on development.
“It is important to involve women in our community in leadership. They form part of the majority and it is unfair to sideline them. To ensure inclusive development, women need to be at the decision-making table,” Samuel says in an interview.
He is happy to note that the situation is slowly changing and elders and the entire community are now embracing women’s leadership. “There is light at the end of the tunnel and it is good to note that men and elders are embracing women’s leadership, which is a good sign going forward. Women form half of the population, hence the need to bring them to the decision-making table.”
Addressing the group, Philip Lerno, the senior chief of Loosuk, terms it paramount to involve women in leadership. The administrators tell the men that they need to embrace and support women seeking leadership.
“Things are changing now and we have women getting into leadership positions in the community because of education. We must support women seeking leadership. Women have good leadership qualities and make good leaders. We should not continue to exclude them from decision-making,” Philip says.
These male champions are part of the Expanding Spaces for Women's Political Participation project, implemented by Uraia Trust with support from UN Women and Global Affairs Canada. One of its most significant elements is the engagement of men in supporting women's leadership aspirations.
Outgoing UN Women Representative in Kenya Anna Mutavati says having women in leadership and governance is critical as there can never be a democracy without the voice of women. “Kenya has made a lot of progress in coming up with laws that support women, but women’s political participation remains the greatest challenge. Parliament, political parties and other relevant bodies need to support this cause. Being more than half the population, women need to be at the decision-making table to inform inclusive budgeting and development.”
Janine Cocker, the Head of Development Cooperation at the Canadian High Commission in Nairobi, says Kenya has a progressive constitution that supports gender equality. She notes that the project ensured that women participated in peaceful elections in 2022 as there were no cases of violence reported. “We need to get rid of barriers that are making women shy from leadership positions. The cost of elections needs to be dealt with. Women need to be made economically viable through various interventions.”
Janine adds that as the country gets closer to the 2027 election, there is a need to project women as formidable candidates.
Sangida Leamo, a moran, says the initiative has opened their eyes to the importance of involving women in leadership. “At first, we did not entertain the talk about women's political participation. However, after awareness creation, we are fully behind the proposal to also have women as leaders.”
Hundreds of kilometres away in Embu, the script is no different. A men’s engagement session underway. We find them talking about increasing the number of women leaders. Even though the Embu governor is a woman, there is no elected woman MP or MCA. “It is critical that men help remove the barriers preventing women from getting into leadership,” Uraia Trust County Coordinator Sospeter Gitonga says.
One of the most significant barriers is the threat of violence. Women in Kenya, particularly in rural areas, often face gender-based violence (GBV) in public life. However, in these three counties – Kajiado, Samburu and Embu – where clan politics and cultural conservatism run deep, male engagement is helping. The male champions are taking an active role in tackling barriers. They are creating safe spaces where gender issues are discussed openly, and GBV prevention strategies are prioritised.
The support from male allies ensures progress is sustained. The male champions are leading this transformation, proving that when men actively support women’s political ambitions, it goes a long way to realise leadership inclusion.
Pruline Lenkupae, who has announced her candidacy for the Angata Nanyekie ward in Samburu, is one of the beneficiaries of the project. “The training I have received through this project has been incredible. I have been taught strategies of winning elections, as well as what to do and not do on the campaign trail. I believe the project will help many more women assume leadership positions through the ballot.”
Pruline terms it important to involve women in leadership as they form part of the majority. To ensure inclusive development, she says women need to be at the decision-making table.
