Will the fair sex maintain its salvo in the House?

• Despite men’s dominance in Parliament, women have carved a huge stake in the Legislature and, as EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA and NJERI RUGENE write, things are shaping up for equality in politics

One can accurately guess that Charity Ngilu and Martha Karua, Kenya’s seasoned female politicians, no longer feel lonely on the benches of Parliament.

Unlike 17 years ago, when they struggled to have their voices heard in a male-dominated National Assembly, today they enjoy the exciting company of a host of other women MPs who, within a decade, have distinguished themselves as forces to reckon with in the mire that is Kenyan politics.

A number of them have risked life and limb in the rough political terrain and a retrogressive culture hostile to women’s progress in politics.

The current Parliament has hosted the battles of a record 18 women MPs, six of them nominated by political parties.

The election of an impressive seven women MPs from the Kalenjin nation of the Rift Valley is a welcome indication that communities are slowly pulling down the cultural barriers that have held down women for centuries.

Highly opinionated

The seven are Dr Sally Kosgei, a one-time Head of Public Service and now Higher Education minister; Prof Hellen Sambili, the highly opinionated Sports minister; Prof Margaret Kamar (temporary deputy speaker); assistant ministers Linah Kilimo (Cooperative Development) and Beatrice Kones (Home Affairs); Dr Joyce Laboso (Sotik) and Peris Simam (Eldoret East).

The other women in Parliament are Cabinet ministers Naomi Shaaban (Special Programmes), Beth Mugo (Public Health), Esther Murugi (Gender Affairs), and assistants ministers Cecily Mbarire (Tourism), Bishop Margaret Wanjiru (Housing), Elizabeth Ongoro (Nairobi Metropolitan Development) and Wavinya Ndeti (Youth Affairs).

Also in the House are Amina Abdalla (PNU), Shakila Abdallah (ODM-Kenya), Sofia Abdi (ODM), Maison Leshomo (PNU), Millie Odhiambo (ODM) and Rachel Shebesh (ODM). Ms Ngilu is the Minister for Water and Irrigation.

Declined appointment

However, the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, who is also a former MP for Tetu, is undoubtedly the most internationally decorated Kenyan female politician.

The independent-minded environmentalist lost her seat in 2007, largely due to a perception by the electorate that she was opposed to President’s Kibaki’s leadership style, a view that stemmed from her decision to decline a presidential appointment as an assistant minister.

Still, it is Ms Karua, the former Justice minister, and Ms Ngilu — both serving their consecutive fourth terms in Parliament — who have been the dominant female voices in the Kenyan political scene in the past decade.

The two have had to wade through a murky political terrain to earn their place in history books, especially after making significant contributions in the battle against Kanu’s dictatorship.

In 1997, Ms Ngilu waged a strong battle for the presidency against heavyweights Daniel arap Moi (the incumbent), Mwai Kibaki (DP), Raila Odinga (LDP) and Ford-Kenya’s Michael Wamalwa. She emerged fifth.

In 2002, the iron lady teamed up with Kibaki, Raila and Wamalwa under the National Rainbow Coalition, which eventually gave Kanu the sack.

After the coalition disintegrated a few months into the Kibaki Presidency, Ms Ngilu held onto to Narc, on whose ticket she retained her Kitui Central seat in 2007 despite a strong wave by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s ODM-Kenya.

She had backed Mr Odinga for the presidency during the campaigns, and that very strategic move earned her a Cabinet post in the new administration after Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki entered into yet another political marriage, this time forced by circumstances.

As Ms Ngilu rallied troops for Mr Odinga, Ms Karua traversed the country wooing voters to the Kibaki camp. She would eventually be appointed as one of the PNU negotiators in the Kofi Annan-led mediated talks that mid-wifed the current coalition after the disputed polls, and later handed the Justice docket.

Independent-mindedness

But, in her trademark independent-mindedness, the Narc-Kenya chairperson would later be the first coalition Cabinet minister to resign in principle after a fallout with the President over judicial appointments.

The Gichugu MP, who has since declared her interest in the presidency, has joined a caucus of fiery back-benchers in an effort to check the government’s excesses.

The new year presents our gallant women in the August House with yet another opportunity to fight for our rights, and we trust the strides made towards achieving equal representation in Parliament will aid them in this cause.