DP post so near and yet so far for Kenyan women

There has never been a time like now when the chance of Kenyan women bagging the deputy president (DP) post looked so real.

With the upcoming general election less than five months away, they cannot afford to let the opportunity slip away. For this is the time when they have been very vocal and strategically placed in existing political formations like never before.

But how can they make it a reality and what could be their Achilles’ heel?

New Partnerships for Africa Development boss Elias Mbau says female politicians have to keep their eyes on the prize, adding, however, that so far that is not the case.

“The problem is that, while they have been enjoying immense goodwill in the political arena, they have lacked resolve and tact to go for it as a matter of right, not favour. Personally, I would love to see women in this country enjoy the ultimate trappings of power. But without tact and resolve, they can as well forget it,” he says.

Mr Mbau says female leaders are playing pivotal roles in the leading political formations—Azimio la Umoja and Kenya Kwanza—and “all they need is a moment to pause and declare that they are not in it as flower girls but rather as critical cogs worth acknowledging.”

Key players

In the Azimio la Umoja corner are prominent politicians, including Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, Murang’a Woman Rep Sabina Chege, Kigumo MP Wangari Mwaniki, Homa Bay gubernatorial hopeful Gladys Wanga and Likoni MP Mishi Mboko. The movement is led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga, with the latter as the flag-bearer.

In the Kenya Kwanza Alliance are big names like Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Kandara MP Alice Wahome, Nyandarua Woman Rep Faith Gitau, Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa and nominated senator Millicent Omanga. The coalition is led by Deputy President William Ruto, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula, with the DP as the flag-bearer.

“As a son of a single mother, I have a very soft spot for women and their abilities…If you asked me whether this country needed a woman deputy president, I would respond that we are even late in having one as president…It is up to them to scheme and rally us behind them. The goodwill is there,” said Mr Zack Kinuthia, former Sports, Culture and National Heritage Chief Administrative Secretary.

Minimum guarantee

Mr Kinuthia says that for a start, women politicians should withdraw their support for all the formations until they are guaranteed that the deputy president post belongs to them.

“We should see these women politicians first shelve their political affiliation and unite under a cause to demand the deputy presidency. If they did that, the chance of bagging it would rise to 99 per cent from the current jokes of being toyed with by the leading male political lights,” he said.

But while the female politicians have publicly said they have what it takes to serve the country in the presidency, none has issued any ultimatum—both directly or through proxies—as to what will happen should they be overlooked.

Instead, they are content with lower seats, even as they hope that the male presidential flag-bearers will consider them. Ms Waiguru, Ms Karua, Ms Wanga, Ms Jumwa, and Ms Ngilu, for instance, are focusing on their gubernatorial bids.

Ms Wahome and Ms Mwaniki are seeking re-election in their constituencies, while Ms Omanga is running for Nairobi woman representative.

Kigumo parliamentary aspirant Faith Nyanjui says women pressure groups should not fail them this time round.

“The more you look at the political formations that we have around, the clearer it gets that this seat belongs to women. We have quality and we have the mettle in the political arena. We have quality women now appearing side by side with the leading contenders for the presidency. We only need to get serious for once,” she said.

No pressure

Support in favour of women has been voiced by Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata, who says Ms Wahome is best placed to deputise Dr Ruto in Kenya Kwanza. No other woman has been endorsed such prominently.

For her part, however, Mt Kenya’s Federation for African Women Educationists coordinator Cecilia Wanjiku sees no prospects of a woman being chosen for the post, given what is going in the political space.

“What the presidential contenders are doing is to praise women leaders in their camps without any form of commitment. We are only being treated to mere whip-up emotions but no commitment whatsoever. I believe it is time we rose up and demanded. If it is not now, we can as well forget about it. It looks so real now,” she says.

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