Phoebe Asiyo, trailblazer of women’s empowerment in Kenya, pens her memoirs

Book title: Phoebe Asiyo — It Is Possible, An African Woman Speaks.

Publisher: Kenya Literature Bureau.

Author: Phoebe Asiyo

Reviewer: Odhiambo Orlale

Thanks to Phoebe Muga Asiyo’s long-awaited memoir, It Is Possible, An African Woman Speaks, Kenyans and the world now have an opportunity to have a glimpse of her over 50 years as a trail blazer in women's empowerment, leadership and movement.

Her road to success started right from the day she graduated from high school at Kamagambo, in Migori County, and later at Kangaru Teachers College in Embu County. Her childhood dream was to become a nurse, but her Seventh Day Adventist church leaders and parents thought otherwise and preferred the teaching profession.

According to Asiyo, her decision to plunge into politics in 1979 was boosted by a nod from the influential Luo Council of Elders who deliberated on the matter for two days; and the tacit backing of the doyen of the opposition, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who was then a Vice-President and a force to reckon with in Nyanza politics.

Says Asiyo: “This is the story of my life, a journey replete with experiences that have left an indelible mark in the lives of women of this country. My experiences have been a source of immense and near devastating despair, as I encountered human triumph over different forms of diversity, or their caving into bases instincts that led to unnecessary human suffering.”

The 283-page easy to read book was launched last month, at a colourful ceremony at State House, Nairobi, by President Uhuru Kenyatta and witnessed by Deputy President William Ruto, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Cabinet ministers, and the who-is who in the women's movement in the country, past and present.

The event was also used by the Ministry for Public Service, Gender, Youth and Sports, to honour all the women trailblazers since independence.

Asiyo taught briefly at Pumwani School in Nairobi before resigning to work at Nairobi Municipal Council as a social worker.

Later, she joined Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organisation and in 1953, one year after it was formed, was elected as its first African President in 1958, where she served for four years.

But, four executive members, who were whites, opposed her election on grounds that: “The leadership was being left in the hands of a young, inexperienced, African woman who could not manage or even comprehend the magnitude of the responsibilities of the office.”

Looking back, Asiyo, who was married to Richard Asiyo and had five children — three girls and two boys — recalls that with assistance of other leaders, they immediately embarked on the process of reviewing the mission of MYWO and giving it new objectives, apart from baking cakes, embroidery and learning domestic science and housewifery.

“I led women through MYWO in the direction of economic empowerment, women’s’ self-worth and self-esteem, learning new and better farming methods, the establishment of small-scale businesses and lobbying for the improvement of women’s healthcare, especially maternal child health, nutrition, hygiene, political empowerment and representation in the three arms of government.”

In 1960, the MYWO president and Priscilla Abwao, a nominated MP, mobilised fellow women leaders from each of the eight provinces, to travel to Kapenguria in West Pokot County, to visit Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and five other freedom fighters who had been detained by the colonial government.

Says Asiyo: “By this time, Mzee Kenyatta had been detained for eight years.

We briefed him about the plight of women at home and sought his support for women’s participation in all levels of leadership, especially in political dispensation and governance.

“We pushed for a 50-50 representation in Parliament and local authorities. Kenyatta was positive in his response, but pointed out that Kenya lacked enough women with requisite education to take up the positions we were advocating for, but we assured him we would soon have reasonable number of educated women who would be able to participate at all levels of policy formulation and implementation.”

On the eve of independence, in 1963, during the Africanisation programme, Asiyo was appointed by the colonial government as the first woman to serve as Assistant Superintendant of Prisons.

CALL TO POLITICS

Mama Phoebe, as she is fondly called by her friends, will be best remembered for her tenure as the Karachuonyo MP for almost two decades, from 1979, after she decided to join politics and trounced the incumbent, David Okiki Amayo, who was an Assistant Minister, confidant of President Moi, Kanu national chairman and powerful chairman of the ruling party’s national disciplinary committee.

She also had the blessings of Oginga Odinga. Her critics asked her husband why he was allowing her to enter politics instead of to cook for him in the house. He responded that he had a hired cook to perform that duty.

She was among the handful of pioneer elected women MPs in the august House then, others being Grace Onyango, Dr Julia Ojiambo and Chelugat Mutai.

While in the National Assembly, Mama Phoebe was the voice of reasoning and will be remembered for moving several motions, the most historic being the controversial Affirmative Action Motion, which was shot down by the male MPs.

In 1997, the then Karachuonyo MP revisited the Affirmative Action Motion, but it was again shot down.

Says Asiyo: “There was a debate and a vote in Parliament, but MPs rejected the motion. This was indeed a very sad day, but one that re-energised efforts that eventually culminated in the enactment of affirmative action principles in the Constitution of Kenya 2010.”

Commenting on current politics and fear of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's presidency, she says: “My hope and belief is that Raila would have been an exception (of the African leaders who were elected on a reform agenda, but later disappointed the people and killed the African dream). However, given the present circumstances, Raila might go down in history as the best president Kenya never had.”

In her parting shot, Asiyo, who is the only serving female member of the Luo Council of Elders, maintains that Kenya can do better: “Kenya has leaders today who have the will, ability and vision to change the status-quo. What Kenya needs is to embrace diversity and inclusion, thereby allowing ‘other’ leaders to make themselves known and make contributions.”

“The future of our country and our legacy depends on the kinds of foundation we lay for our youth,” says the trail blazer.