Want sex? Tell Kibaki and Raila to stop feuding

Women on Wednesday introduced a new weapon in the political battle field: sex. They want their mass action to take place in the privacy of thousands of bedrooms across the country to effect changes in public leadership.

And so on Wednesday, the women’s organisations called for a seven-day sex boycott to pressurise President Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga into taking decisive steps to end coalition wrangles. The two feuding political kingpins, they say, should bear the brunt of the sex strike; so they asked their wives — First Lady Lucy Kibaki and Mrs Ida Odinga — to join them by denying them their conjugal rights.

Under the banner of Gender 10, the group of 10 civil societies said they were frustrated by the twists and turns of the coalition government and the lack of leadership portrayed by the two principals. “The boycott is to protest against the poor leadership and to demand that the two take charge of the country,” said Ms Carole Ageng’o, director of Tomorrows Child Initiative.

Present at the media briefing were women leaders from Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida), Maendeleo ya Wanawake, Centre of Rights and Education Awareness (CREAW), among other civil groups.

During the seven days, lobby groups will draw up a performance contract for the President and Prime Minister to sign, defining the kind of leadership they would want. “If they fail to sign, it would be a confirmation of lack of goodwill and commitment,” said Ms Ann Njogu of CREAW, who also said more radical actions were in the pipeline.

Lucy and Ida

Asked whether the wives of the two principals would support their call, Ms Njogu said both Mrs Kibaki and Mrs Odinga were gender-sensitive leaders. “We expect them to take part since they are patrons in our organisations,” she said.

Defending the boycott Ms Patricia Nyaundi, the director of Fida, said: “Extra-ordinary situations call for extraordinary measures.” Terming it a “fast” Ms Nyaundi said: “Let every family take time to talk about the country’s leadership and what they want from the government.”

She said prostitutes would also join them, adding that through various organisations, the women would be given financial help for the period. “We are in an agreement with them,” said Ms Nyaundi. “We have arranged with various organisations how to supplement their budgets for the period.”

With no way of enforcing it, the women only called on support from members of their organisations and the public affirming that they would lead by example. She said: “We are having support from almost all parts of the country. We have received positive response from more than 70 branches.”

The women said Kenya was grappling with hunger, brutal murders by Mungiki and the Migingo issue, yet the leaders were locked in power struggles. “Women are suffering in IDP camps, perpetrators of sexual violation have not been charged, but those who are supposed to be helping us are busy bickering,” said Ms Rubia Subow, chair of Maendeleo ya Wanawake.

But Mr Nderitu Njoka, the chairman of the Maendeleo ya Wanaume organisation, dismissed the women’s call as unfortunate. He said it was unfortunate that women were planning to use sex as a weapon against their husbands. “This is against the Bible, which calls on women to be submissive to their husbands,” Mr Njoka said by telephone. “We will not allow it to happen.”

Although Mr Njoka agreed with their petitions, he said it was the ordinary man who is currently suffering as a result of irresponsible leadership. “Only the common man is feeling the pain. Politicians will be with their wives and there is no way they can deny their spouses sex. This will only add more problems.”

He warned that men would stray out of their marriages which, according to him, can cause marital problems. “That cannot succeed,” he said. “They better do something else.”