Sirleaf lauds Kenya as cheers pour in for women’s good show in poll
Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is among global leaders who have lauded the impressive performance of women in the just-concluded poll.
What you need to know:
- Gender activists, individuals and rights organisations have registered their joy over the increasing number of women venturing into elective politics in the country.
- Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation Chairperson Rahab Muiu, said the women elected in the just-concluded election are a representation of the hopes of Kenyan women.
- Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has also lauded the impressive performance of women in the election.
Congratulatory messages continue to stream in from local and international players over women’s impressive performance in the General election held on August 9.
Gender activists, individuals and rights organisations from Kenya and beyond, have registered their joy over the increasing number of women venturing into elective politics in the country.
Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO) lauded the increased number of women leaders in the just concluded poll.
While addressing journalists during a press conference at Maendeleo House last week, MYWO Chairperson Rahab Muiu, said the women elected in the just-concluded election are a representation of the hopes of Kenyan women.
Ms Muiu noted that the increasing number of women leaders is a significant step towards women's participation in political leadership.
Political participation
She said the strong social and political capital that have been built so far, will enhance women political participation into the future.
From three female governors in 2017 to seven in 2022, women continue to shatter the glass ceiling.
“Our main message today is to most sincerely congratulate all women who have been elected as governors, senators, MPs and Members of County Assembly (MCAs). We commend the courage, determination and resilience of all women who stood for elective positions,” said Ms Muiu.
She also commended Kenyans for maintaining peace prior, during and post the election, a thing she asked them to continue doing.
“As mothers and custodians of families, we are glad that the election went well,” she added.
Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson Rahab Mwikali Muiu during an interview at her Maendeleo House offices in Nairobi.
MYWO officials said once the political dust settles, they will engage the elected women leaders to forge a way forward in addressing the plight of women.
Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has also lauded the impressive performance of women in the election.
“It was inspiring to see women strongly represented in the Kenyan elections, and notably the progress made since 2013 when 980 women candidates were cleared to run. In 2017, this rose to 1,358 and in 2022 it reached 1,768.I hope this is a sign that we are moving towards gender parity,” she said.
Adequate funds
A preliminary report by the joint observation mission of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) have lauded the changes that have seen political parties field more women candidates in this year’s election.
Donna Brazile, a board member of NDI and the co-leader of the mission, said they hope and expect Kenyans will “work together to make Kenya’s democracy improve the lives of all of her citizens, in particular marginalized communities, including women, youth and persons with disabilities.”
However, the observers identified a number of issues that still stand in the way of women’s candidature and victory in the elective seats they run for, the main one being the inability to mobilise adequate funds to finance their campaigns.
“The female candidates also reported several cases of harassment both online and on the campaign trail and were “subjected to verbal abuse and psychological violence from their opponents and their supporters,” the preliminary report said in part.
Women accounted for 12.18 per cent of all candidates and 49.12 per cent of all voters, which the observers have flagged as “underrepresentation” of women in the political environment, despite the little progress realised.
The African Women Solidarity Mission to Kenya also congratulated Kenyans for a successful election on August 9. It had been deployed by the African Women Leader’s Network and facilitated by the Office of AU Special Envoy on Women Peace and Security with support from the UN and AU.
Predominantly male
The mission observed the Kenyan elections with the aim of supporting efforts by women to promote their participation in leadership and conflict prevention for peaceful democratic elections.
Some of the women elected recently have already exuded confidence that they are going to deliver to the people as per their campaign promises.
"Now sit back and see what women can do when they are in office," said Nakuru Senator-elect Tabitha Karanja, who runs Kenya's second largest brewery Keroche Breweries Ltd.
In addition to winning seven out of 47 gubernatorial races, female candidates claimed three out of 47 Senate seats and 26 out of 290 MP positions.
Since the election of the first woman to Parliament in 1969, the political landscape in Kenya has remained predominantly male.
The 2010 Constitution requires a two-thirds/one-third gender balance in Parliament. But the two male-dominated chambers have never passed a law to that effect, despite legal challenges to force their hand.
