Kenyans rate women reps poorly in latest Infotrak performance review survey

Kenyans have given women representatives low performance ratings in a new opinion poll.

According to the survey by Infotrak Research and Consulting, the best performing woman rep only received a performance rating of 50 per cent.

Turkana’s Cecilia Ngitit and her Kirinyaga counterpart Jane Maina received a rating of 50 per cent while the rest had below average ratings.

Homa Bay’s Joyce Bensuda Osogo and Tharaka Nithi’s Susan Nduyo are tied for third with a performance rating of 49 per cent while Rael Chepkemoi of West Pokot is fifth with a rating of 48 per cent. County MPs are supposed to promote the interests of women and girls by coming up with favourable legislation.

To achieve this, they have been allocated money through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund. However, the low approval rating could point to a perception that women reps are only elected to balance the gender equation in the National Assembly.

This perception is reflected in the low ratings of second and third term woman reps who received low ratings with the top, Kakamega County’s Elsie Muhanda coming sixth with a rating of 47 per cent. She is followed by Makeuni’s Rose Museo (46 per cent) and Joyce Kamene of Machakos and Gladys Shollei of Uasin Gishu at 44 per cent each.

Kitui Woman Rep Irene Kasalu rounds wooff the top five with 43 per cent. Ms Muhanda is tied at position six with Nyandarua’s Faith Gitau, while Ms Museo, Pamela Njoki (Embu), and Betty Njeri (Murang’a) round off the top 10 with a rating of 46 per cent.

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Further, Kenyans gave women reps the lowest overall rating of 42 per cent compared to governors (57 per cent), MCAs (50 per cent) and senators (46 per cent).

The rating of the MPs has been on a downward trend, with the top woman rep in 2015, Homa Bay’s Gladys Wanga, who is now the governor in the same county, scoring 68 per cent.

This then dropped to 62 per cent in 2020 where Roza Buyu (Kisumu County), now Kisumu West MP, topped the ranking.

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The CountyTrak Performance Index, was conducted between July and September 2023 covering all the 47 counties and ranking 25 top performing women reps. The other county MPs who made it to the list are Caroline Ng’elechei (Elgeyo Marakwet), Dorice Aburi (Kisii) and Pauline Lenguris (Samburu) are tied for 11th with a rating of 45 per cent.

Ms Lillian Siyoi (Trans Nzoia), Ms Kamene, Ms Shollei and Kericho’s Beatrice Chepng’eno are placed 14th with an approval rating of 44 per cent.