Radio journalist Josephine Sirega eyes Migori woman rep’s seat

Former radio presenter Josephine Sirega has thrown her hat in the ring for the Migori woman representative’s seat.

Mrs Sirega, who until February 16 worked at Ramogi FM, hung up the microphone to enter politics in what is expected to change the county’s political matrix.

She will face off with five other contenders to succeed Dr Pamella Odhiambo, who is vying for the Migori governorship.

In an interview with the Nation, Mrs Sirega said she was the best placed to take the seat because she understands the plight of women and young people.

“The position has a mandate and resource allocation which have not met the expectation of the electorate. I feel time is ripe to make meaningful progress that will impact on the vulnerable groups,” she said.

Noting that she was passionate about gender and development issues, Mrs Sirega maintained that previous holders of the seat had failed to improve the lives of vulnerable residents though they had funding to spur development.

“My predecessors have been talking of empowerment yet the people do not feel the impact on the ground. Being on radio for some time, I understand the plight of the marginalised and this is what drove me to join the race.”

She noted that Migori residents could not cite key projects completed by the former office-bearers while calling on voters to focus on leaders who will bring greater development.

“The NGAAF (National Government Affirmative Action Fund) money should have fully empowered locals. Take, for instance, bursaries – they only benefit those who are able while leaving the vulnerable to suffer. I understand issues surrounding women throughout my career and I feel time is ripe to represent my people,” she said.

There has been talk about regional balance ahead of the August polls after it emerged that Mrs Sirega and Senator Ochillo Ayacko, both hail from Awendo sub-county

“It is upon the people of Migori to decide. I don’t mind vying alongside Dr Ayacko from the same region. It is the voters who will decide our fate,” she said.

The woman representative seat has attracted ODM-nominated MP Dennitah Ghati, her sister Bevin Bhoke, businesswoman Fatuma Mohammed, Sophie Dhibira, and Dorothy Kajimba, among other aspirants.

Mrs Ghati and her younger sister Ms Bhoke, are both former journalists.

Ms Bhoke is vying on Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) while Ms Ghati is seeking to reclaim her former seat on Raila Odinga’s ODM party.

Ms Ghati sits on ODM’s national governing council while Ms Bhoke is a close ally of DP Ruto in Migori, creating a looming showdown between the sisters.

“I will be going for the woman rep seat. I am a good communicator and all the companies that contracted me have had no regrets. I’m the surest bet for the seat owing to my past track record,” Ms Bhoke said.

Ms Bhoke, who once worked as communication director with the defunct Commission on Implementation of the Constitution, holds a bachelor’s degree in development communication and a master’s in communications from the University of Nairobi

She represents people with disabilities and has maintained that she will be on the ballot to recapture the seat she lost in 2017 to Dr Odhiambo.

In a past interview with the Nation, the lawmaker noted that proposed constitutional changes through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) could have accommodated more female leaders and brought the two-thirds gender rule to reality.

The fall of BBI, she said, was a loss to women as there was no hope for the two-thirds gender rule.

“The ruling made several leadership slots that would have been taken over by women vanish. It was meant to bring the two-thirds gender rule to reality. It was a big drawback to women and I have chosen to seek the position of woman rep in 2022,” she said.