Women's body seeks more female aspirants in Taita Taveta
In the 2017 election, then Woman Representative Joyce Lay (pictured) vied for the Taita Taveta Senate seat on a Jubilee Party ticket, coming second.
What you need to know:
- Maendeleo ya Wanawake has initiated enhanced civic education at the grassroots to sensitise residents to the need to elect women.
- Sauti ya Wanawake, another advocacy group, has launched a programme to support female contenders, especially those seeking top seats.
Maendeleo ya Wanawake is pushing for Taita Taveta women to seek top seats in the August 9 General Election.
County chairperson Mary Kilei, urged them to stop viewing certain posts as the preserve of men.
"We must seek election even in areas where men have historically dominated," she said.
Her pleas came even as women kept off the senatorial race. The incumbent, Jones Mwaruma, who won on the Orange Democratic Movement party ticket, faces only male opponents in his re-election bid.
In the 2017 election, then Woman Representative Joyce Lay and Anna Kina vied for the seat. Ms Lay, who ran on a Jubilee Party ticket, came second.
Needed change
Three women have, however, joined the gubernatorial contest. They are Patience Nyange, Rachel Mwakazi and Prof Agnes Mwang'ombe.
Ms Kilei said women are better placed to lead as they can bring about significant socio-economic change in society. She explained that women leadership will go a long way in changing Kenya’s political landscape.
"As an organisation, we will support women because women leadership has proved to be working for the change we need as mothers of the nation," she said.
She urged women to support female aspirants instead of ganging up against them.
"We should be our ambassadors by showing support for our fellow women who have political ambitions," she said.
She attributed the few number of female aspirants for different political positions to patriarchal beliefs and lack of campaign resources.
Support
Despite the hurdles, her organisation has initiated enhanced civic education at the grassroots to sensitise residents to the need to elect women.
Another advocacy group, Sauti ya Wanawake, has launched a programme to support female contenders to run for positions, especially top ones. Coast chairperson Dorcas Gibran, said this will help the region to attain the two-thirds gender rule.
"The programme guides aspirants on how to manoeuvre the patriarchal landscape. We know politics is new to most of them, so we guide them on how to seek votes,” she said.
Ms Gibran cautioned women against waiting for nomination slots, adding that they should not crowd the woman representative race, yet there are other seats.
In the woman representative contest, four aspirants seek to wrest the seat from Lydia Haika. They are former County Executive for Water Esther Mwanyumba, former Trade Executive Gertrude Shuwe, former county Gender Advisor Pricillah Mwangeka and Cate Mashame.
