Voters want money! How we lost August 9 election
Contestants who lost in the August 9 election say voters want money, not manifestos.
What you need to know:
- Voters were not interested in long-term projects, but preferred cash. Whether to engage in voter bribery was a moral conundrum most women had to contend with.
- Aspirants say patriarchy and party challenges also stifled their quest to win elective seats.
This year’s election has been lauded for embracing women in politics. However, more than 89 per cent of those who dared to plunge into the tumultuous waters of politics did not triumph.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Gazette notices, only 197 women clinched highly competitive seats. This translates into a mere 10 per cent of the 1,962 candidates who had expressed interest.
Hellen Ngema, who contested the Kitisuru MCA seat, shares her frustrations of two failed attempts to secure an elective post.
Hellen Ngema who unsuccessfully contested Kitisuru Ward MCA seat.
“Women, like other candidates, sacrifice and invest a lot of resources into political campaigns. Some of us even sell family property to finance our campaigns. However, the trend from 2013 has been that, more than 80 per cent of women who vie do not succeed. So, women retreat from politics because their efforts have not been fruitful,” Ms Ngema tells Nation.Africa.
Like Ms Ngema, we speak to other election losers who share their campaign experiences. He who pays the piper calls the tune. This is the resounding lesson from all the women who speak to Nation.Africa. Whether to engage in voter bribery or remain true to their convictions was a moral conundrum most women had to contend with.
Dr Bernadette Kyanya, who vied for an MCA seat in Mavoko Constituency, took the high road despite word on the ground being, ‘Peana pesa upate kiti (Give money to win)'.
Dr Bernadette Kyanya, former MCA contestant for Muthwani Ward, Machakos County.
“I had the financial budget in place and knew what I needed to do. But I asked myself, if I do this, how will I be different from everyone else? How will I handle corruption, if I am the one corrupting the electorate?
“Kenyan politics is about money, the person who gets the seat is not the most qualified, but the one who gives the most money to voters,’’ Dr Kyanya says.
Similarly, Prof Lucy Mugwere learned that well-moneyed aspirants, who spend millions on voter bribery, most likely carry the day. Her campaign strategy revolved around addressing the impacts of climate change in Kajiado North Constituency. She chose to channel funds into community capacity-building projects rather than giving handouts.
By collaborating with the Kenya Forest Service, she donated thousands of trees to residents to combat the serious drought her constituents were facing.
Nonetheless, the former aspirant says voters were not interested in her long-term projects, but preferred cash.
Prof Lucy Mugwere, who vied for Kajiado North MP.
“Politics is an expensive undertaking and the electorate expects candidates to dish out monetary handouts. Everybody wants money. Some will even become aggressive if you don’t give money,” Prof Mugwere adds.
According to sections 13 and 33 of the Elections Act, 2011, aspirants vie on a party ticket or as an independent. Prof Mugwere says the choice one makes is instrumental in determining whether they win or not.
“One of the mistakes I made was that I did not listen to the ground (voters). I was asked to join the popular party in the region but chose to vie on a ticket whose values and principles I align with.
“I have realised that the electorate does not vote for candidates but for parties,” she says.
Similarly, Dr Bernadette Kyanya, who ran as an independent, says one should never underestimate the struggles within political parties or assume that the outfits are pro-women.
She had initially planned to vie for the Mavoko MP seat, but after three weeks of negotiations within Wiper Party, she stepped down in favour of an aspirant who got a direct ticket.
“Again, when I decided to vie for MCA, the party gave my male competitor a direct ticket. I was forced to run as an independent and it was gruelling. My former party called for ‘voting for suits’ (voting along party lines) and that is how I lost. Without party backup, you are basically isolated,’’ she added.
It would also seem the moniker ‘Machakos Girls’, in reference to the unprecedented number of women leaders in Machakos County’s leadership, is not reflective of the sentiments at the grassroots level.
Patriarchy and self-interests
“On the ground, women’s leadership has not been embraced. It is not easy for Wambua or Otieno to trust a woman. There are still strong running narratives that women should be submissive and not lead. In fact, people now say that the county will fail,’’ Dr Kyanya adds.
Patriarchy is what she says led her to experience a lot of insecurity during campaigns. Dr Kyanya reveals that at some point, she was threatened with rape if she continued campaigning. One of her campaign managers had to move from where she stayed because some residents had threatened to burn down her house.
The recurrent take-away from these women’s experience is that running for office is a cut-throat experience. Aligning oneself with a trustworthy and diligent campaign team is paramount, says Dr Juliet Kimemiah.
Dr Kimemiah wanted to contest the Kiambu governor seat but did not even make it to the ballot. After being betrayed by her initial running mate who pulled out two weeks to the IEBC registration deadline, a close friend recommended another candidate.
“There are a lot of selfish interests in politics. People generally wanted to join me in the race because they thought I had a lot of money. When I eventually settled on a running mate, the Commission for University Education (CUE) informed me that his degree was fake,” Dr Kimemiah reveals.
Having changed running mates so often, she was so disoriented that she decided to give up on the seat altogether.
Dr Juliet Kimemiah, who was eyeing the Kiambu gubernatorial seat.
“I was shocked when the commissioners told us (me and my running mate), si wewe tulikuambia your degree is fake (didn’t we tell you your degree is fake). That is the day I understood what makes people die when they receive bad news. I wondered why he did not disclose that until the last day to the deadline. It was the worst experience I have had in a long time,” Dr Kimemiah reminisces.
Prof Winnie Mitullah, a University of Nairobi governance expert says that in general, there has been significant mileage in women’s political participation, however, a detailed analysis of those who vie vis a vis those who make it, paints a grim picture.
“New women entrants do not benefit from elaborate political networks and rootedness of party systems that still exist. There is so much of recirculation of the same people that tends to fence off new faces. The ones who are there become so aggressive because of their political prowess that new entrants don’t even stand a chance,” Prof Mitullah states.
How then can women leaders ensure they are elected into office?
Director of Transforming Leadership Centre at International Leadership University Dr Heglon Kitawi says transforming patriarchal beliefs is the most important step.
“Women may begin at a disadvantage because of entrenched patriarchal beliefs in the society. However, when we field 20 candidates and two make it consistently, the long term effect is that society’s attitude towards women in leadership positively shifts, ” Dr Kitawi says.
He insists that successful women politicians should maintain impressive track records that increase voters’ confidence in other women’s leadership.
Nonetheless, this is not the end of the road for these women. They plan to re-group and take yet another stab at politics in the 2027 polls.
“There are dynamics I have realised you cannot ignore. I have learned very painful lessons but I am still hopeful. I will definitely win the primaries of the popular party and run for Kiambu governor in 2027,’’ Dr Kimemiah concludes.
