Why women are still missing in the political field

Beneath the calm exterior and bright smiles on Kenyan women politicians’ faces lie tales of horror, fear, betrayal, but most importantly, a resolve to be the best and an indomitable quest to not quit.

From physical assaults, bullying, and lack of financial muscle, women feel the heat of seeking elective posts in a society seething with fury at their attempts to clinch big political seats.

Such is the case for Dr Juliet Kimemia, a former County Executive Committee member of Trade, Industries, Cooperatives and tourism in Kiambu County. She has seen it all.

She had not anticipated the impediments she has undergone when she began her political journey to be the next Kiambu governor. Her social media pages have received so much vitriol in the last few months. Her allies, especially the male would be benefactors, who had initially promised to fund her bid have, like dew, vanished with the light of day.

Dr Kimemia, was fired from the county job when the then Kiambu governor, Ferdinand Waititu was impeached. She has never known what led to her axing. She says that sharing her future plans with the county residents rubbed on the shoulders of those seeking to replace the ousted Waititu wrongly.

Barely three weeks ago, during a rally where Kiambu County gubernatorial candidates were meeting the electorate at Thika Stadium, her male competitor, a local MP, introduced her as his deputy governor, yet he knows she is vying to be the next governor.

“I was so cross but I remained quiet. I was clear that I am not going to be anyone’s deputy and told the public I would be their next governor. Some men are so scared of women’s leadership that they would go to the lengths of lying to the public about us,” she tells Nation.Africa.

Most female aspirants face a barrage of insults including from bloggers, hired by their competitors, to push them out of the race. Even the pollsters leave them out when measuring candidates’ popularity.

This has been the case for Dr Kimemia, who despite making her intentions to vie known, has never been featured in any polls, nor has her name appeared anywhere in the list of gubernatorial candidates.

“There is an attitude that women should be left to do home duties. To date, people still ask me if I am serious about my bid. No pollster has ever listed me. I am usually clustered at the ‘others’ section.” She said.

Physical assault, at times in the full glare of the public, is another tool used to intimidate women in politics. So bad it is that the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) listed it among the key factors driving women out of politics during a meeting with political parties on February 28.

The assault sometimes comes even during presidential functions as it happened to Agnes Nkanya, an MCA aspirant in Magomoni Ward, Tharaka Nithi County. Four security agents accosted her as she approached her seat at the infamous Sagana 3 function that was graced by President Uhuru Kenyatta. This happened despite her walking alongside Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Peter Munya, she says.

Although she was an invited guest, she says no one questioned the security details as they manhandled her, eventually kicking her out of the meeting tent.

“I was surprised that both male and female leaders present just looked on yet I was screaming as the guards roughed me up. No one dared to intervene! It was a shocking realisation, we, (women) are on our own,” she says. 

Like Dr Kimemia, cyber bullies warning her to quit her ambition and “be a good wife” have targeted her, she says.

Despite the attacks, she soldiers on. Her work as a gender activist has hardened her stance to be the next MCA in an area where every elective cycle marks increased cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

She has counselled many women and nursed their wounds after their husbands assaulted them for ‘being disobedient’ by seeking elective posts or attending public rallies. Most women who were previously active and had a promising political career silently retreat and watch political activities from their fences, against their will. When the amount of beatings become too much, they resign, Ms Nkanya reveals.

“The husbands even give them curfew hours so that they do not attend evening political gatherings,” she says.

In most cases, such women, vibrant in the grassroots, are dependent on their spouses for funding. When the husbands withdraw their support, they are left with no option but to quit.

For young women, it gets worse. They face herculean barriers including from ageist older women who believe politics should be a domain for ‘experienced older women”

As opposed to common opinion, female candidates, especially the older ones, attack the younger female contestants. Most of the attacks are verbal and at times, through social media. Alice Wangari Gathekia, a 29-year-old lawyer seeking to be Kiambu County’s next woman representative knows this too well.

Having served in numerous leadership positions, she is persuaded that the top job fits her snugly. Her ambition, however, has rattled the older contestants, she says.

“My competitors feel challenged by my bid and have approached me telling me to vie for a lower seat since I am not “yet mature”. They say I must first be a wife and take care of my children before I come for the woman rep post,” she adds.

The intimidation of unmarried women out of politics is not a new phenomenon.

In early February, Mary Ojode shocked many after telling off her female competitors. She said unmarried women do not deserve to be Homa Bay County’s woman representative. To be a woman rep, a woman must leave her parents’ home, find a husband and prove her mettle by building her home, then think of seeking an elective post, Ms Ojode said.

“Nyiswa chuori kidwaro telo (Show us your husband if you want to be Woman Representative),” she said.

“The Constitution is clear. It talks about a woman representative and not a girl representative. This seat is for women and not maidens,” she went on.

All female aspirants seeking the Woman Rep position including Tabitha Nyandiek and Lavender Ojalla responded firmly saying marriage is not a measure of anyone’s political leadership skills.

“That was a very unfortunate statement. Leadership is what matters and not the calibre of marriage. Some married women are not happy, some are miserable, some are married but have performed dismally in their elected posts,” Ms Gathekia argues.

Like Ms Nkanya, she has mediated many cases where women fall victims of violence to their spouses whenever they declare their political aspirations.

“Even older women come to me to help them manoeuvre the pitfalls arising at home in their political paths, and help in mediating such hiccups. It is sad that some men do not know that by electing women, they are helping the entire society,” she says.

Exorbitant amounts of party nomination fees also hinder women from engaging in politics. For Ms Gathekia to vie for the woman rep post, for instance, she has to part with Sh100,000 set under her party, Wakenya Tujibebe.

Ms Nkanya, on the other hand, has to part with at least Sh50,000 to vie for an MCA seat. The amounts are so high; they both say and urge political parties to reduce the amounts.

Salome Oyugi, the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission manager for Political Parties and Campaign Financing, says the commission has urged political parties to not only submit lists of candidates that meet the two-thirds gender rule, but also reduce the nomination fees for female aspirants.

Article 100 of the Constitution under requirement for legislation for promotion of marginalised groups including women, children, youth, ethnic minorities and people living with disabilities, provides that political parties ensure the aforementioned group are supported. Despite being adopted in the run up for the 2017 elections, however, women are still left out.

“There was the establishment of a task force under the Ministry of Gender that sought to develop an equality law with a hope that we will finally be able to make a determination of who qualifies as a marginalised person for purposes of nomination under the party lists,” she reveals.

NGEC chairperson Dr Joyce Mwikali, has said the commission will no longer play nice with political parties that fail to not only include women in the party’s nominations list, but also support their bids to clinch different political seats. The commission vows to sue any county assembly found to be nominating people outside the special interest group to the positions meant for such individuals. 

She notes that key reasons keeping women out of politics include low number of special interest group persons registered as voters, financial constraints, intimidation, violence and bribery, negative stereotypes and discrimination against women, underrepresentation and poor participation in political parties.

“Most of the time, women are elbowed out and those who have more willpower, body power and financial power take the slots that would otherwise be occupied by a special interest group nominee,” she says.

Despite the hitches and unfair treatment, the women aspirants vow not to be edged out of the race but work to remain etched in the hearts of Kenyans whom they intend to serve fully.

“We are running for these seats to win, we are not just trying. Women leadership is being preferred by society. Men should stop giving handouts, using intimidation and get into the field knowing that women are in politics and they mean business,” Dr Kimemia concludes.

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