Will Murang'a sustain gender rule glory in polls?

The August 9 parliamentary elections will be critical for Murang'a in that the results will determine whether the county will continue to top in the number of women elected, currently standing at 42 per cent of its seven MPs.

Kenya has been grappling with the formula to enact the constitutional provision that demands the two-thirds gender representation, which has been termed “international pride”.

Some counties, including Murang'a, have, however, achieved it at the ballot.

“We do not understand the fuss in the country about the dilemma to achieve the two-thirds gender rule in favour of women in key positions…since we, in Murang’a, had met it without prompting any legislation. At 42 per cent, we are clearly over the mark and we will sustain it,” said area Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson Lucy Ngugi.

In the 2017 General Election, Murang’a emerged tops when voters elected three female parliamentarians out of seven. Mary Wamaua was elected to represent Maragua, Wangari Mwaniki in Kigumo and Alice Wahome won a second term in Kandara.

Homa Bay, with 37.5 per cent female representation of its parliamentarians, was second, while Nakuru claimed third position with 27 per cent. Homa Bay elected Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul), Lilian Achieng Gogo (Rangwe) and Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo (Suba North). Nakuru County endorsed Martha Wangari to represent Gilgil, Jayne Wanjiru Kihara for Naivasha and Njoro’s Charity Kathambi.

Also read: Murang’a women outshine men politically, economically

Current races

In Murang’a, Ms Wahome and Wamaua are defending their seats on UDA tickets. Wamaua will battle it out with Jubilee's Anthony Chege, Chama Cha Kazi's Lawrence Munga and Stanley Mburu, an independent. Her opponents are chided that they failed to take advantage of her flip-flop on whether to support UDA or Azimio.

"If her opponents had taken advantage of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) popularity in the county, they would have easily bagged the nomination. They did not and Wamaua took it and is enjoying a huge advantage in retaining her seat," said Maragua Residents Association chairman James Kamau.

UDA is led by Deputy President William Ruto.

The Jubilee Party, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, is pushing to neuter Dr Ruto in the county in favour of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga. In the process, it has kept eyes firmly in Ms Wahome's Kandara and Kiharu, represented by UDA's Ndindi Nyoro.

"The President and his lieutenants have sponsored all manner of political activities in these two constituencies to a point they have sponsored multiple candidates to split the vote, hoping to spoil for us," said Ms Wahome.

She said it is not a coincidence that she has 12 opponents, the highest in the country. She will sweat it out with Jubilee's Kinyanjui Ngugi, Julius Kaberere (PNU), Samuel Kioi (Narc Kenya), Erastus Gitahi (Safina), Gichuru wa Karenge (DP), Chege Njuguna (Chama Cha Kazi) and independents Maina Kamau, Patrick Karani, Phillip Gichia Junior, Mbiu Kamau, John Mwaura and Gichuhi Ndirangu.

"If you look at the number of Azimio candidates, you will realise how determined they are to sneak mischief in Kandara," she said.

But her rivals said they are in the race of their own volition, using their democratic right to contest so that voters can pick the best among them.

Ms Mwaniki supports Mr Odinga’s presidency, a move that has put her in a precarious position given the huge advantage Dr Ruto has in the county. She is up against Joseph Munyoro (UDA), Zack Kinuthia (Party of National Unity), Faith Njoya (Farmers Party), former Murang'a County Assembly majority leader Eric Kamande (independent) and Joseph Kibugi (independent).

Uhuruto supremacy battle

In trying to control Murang'a, both Dr Ruto and President Kenyatta are calling for a six-piece voting mode for their parties, UDA and in Jubilee, a move being resisted by fringe parties and independents.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi describes the situation in Murang'a as "defining".

He said the three female MPs are “fabulous women leaders who have expressly shown their commitment and focus in leadership”.

He says Ms Wahome is a brilliant lawyer, Ms Wamaua a committed leader and Ms Mwaniki a strategist “and those strengths have made them a force to reckon with in their own right.”

He expressed fears that the region might miss Ms Mwaniki in the next Parliament because "truth be said, she is competing against a strong UDA wave in Kigumo." However, Ms Mwaniki maintains that Kigumo is fully behind her and Mr Odinga owing to her work in her first term. “We are ready to face the battle ahead and emerge the winning formation.”

Also read: Murang'a governor aspirants who've settled for female deputies

Ms Mwaniki has remained steadfast in supporting President UKenyatta and has been hosting Mr Odinga in her constituency to a point she has declared that “my heart has always been in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), it is only the hat of Jubilee that I wear.” She says she once worked for the Orange party’s National Elections Board.

Ms Wahome remains upbeat that she will win a third term and "proceed to be appointed to a higher office by my presidential aspirant, Dr Ruto.”

She says Kandara has invested wisely in the political formations and “since I have stood firmly with Dr Ruto and my people, this will be a walkover and usher an era of greatness in our constituency.”

Ms Wamaua is also confident of winning a second term “and women leadership will continue to be embraced in our county alongside other regions where a new dawn is shining our way.”

She says she is not perturbed by the competition as “I have worked and changed lives…delivered on my promises and remained friends with my constituents.”

Maendeleo ya Wanawake's Ngugi said she is optimistic that the county will maintain the tempo of women empowerment agenda by way of embracing their inclusion in critical decision-making organs of governance.

“Our women leaders so far have not let us down…We are not in major court cases for corrupting national resources…we are not the face of impunity and we have not been accused of being dangerous in trashing human rights,” she said.

But the county has been warned against going for national fame instead of local solution to leadership demand.

Performance matters

“The question is whether the 42 per cent representation by women MPs has translated into performance in a way that we can say the female leaders have transformed lives or rejuvenated livelihoods…It is not a debate about women and men, it should be about leadership,” says Kigumo MP candidate Njoya.

“Going about electoral politics whipping gender emotions is a fraud to the voter and the benchmark should be that of ability to deliver, hence I will not waste my time and that of voters selling myself as a woman, but a servant ready to work.”

Ms Njoya says campaigning on the grounds of gender is dangerous as “we might be conceived as those seeking to impose female hegemony, instead of offering leadership that is not divisive or condescending.”

"We should go into this election not as men and women but as Kenyans out to pick the best to safeguard our common interests. Sustaining the leadership debate, instead of gender emotions, will see the best emerge as winners.”

Ms Njoya warned that the gender agenda in politics is being tilted to favour women “to a point it appears that we are only shying off from telling the IEBC to block all men from contesting.”

The seven constituencies have a combined 616,398 registered voters. Kiharu has 114,758, Kandara 105,258, Maragua 102,383, Gatanga (101,296), Kigumo has 82,599 voters, Mathioya 58,102 and Kangema 52,002.

Another cut-throat competition is being witnessed in the woman rep race between UDA's Betty Maina, Jubilee's Evelyn Waithera and Fraciah Muthoni Chege (Usawa Kwa Wote). The incumbent, Sabina Chege, is not defending the seat.

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