Nakuru women unsettle status quo, take on men

In the 2013 General Election, fewer women vied for various political seats in Nakuru County besides one reserved for them — Woman Representative.

However, ahead of the August 8 elections, an unprecedented number of women aspirants have positioned themselves to fight it out for various political seats in the County.

They have intensified their campaigns to try and overcome the odds they faced in the 2013 polls and in the just ended parties primaries.

Among those who had a sterling performance and is now a heart-beat to the Senate is Speaker of the County Assembly, Susan Kihika, who won by a landslide in the Jubilee Party nominations.

In the race for the Jubilee Senate ticket, Ms Kihika, known as the Iron Lady of Nakuru politics, led by a wide margin garnering 273,274 votes against lawyer Gilbert Kabage who came a distant second with 51, 821 votes.

The out-going County Assembly Speaker is the daughter of veteran politician and MP Dickson Kihika Kimani.

Among the eight men that she beat was veteran politician and former Subukia MP Koigi Wa Wamwere, who has since joined the Opposition and announced that he will campaign for Raila Odinga to win the presidency.

Ms Kihika has proved right surveys indicating her as the front runner for the seat and it remains to be seen whether she will win on August 8.

In the race for the Njoro parliamentary seat, Ms Charity Kathambi Chepkwony is headed to become the first woman MP in the constituency, after she beat a field of men to win the Jubilee Party ticket for the seat.

Ms Chepkwony floored the incumbent Joseph Kiuna who came third in the hotly contested party primaries.

Mr Kiuna has already conceded defeat. Ms Chepkwony a Kenya Literature Bureau board member is among women from the region who clinched the Jubilee Party tickets in the primaries in Nakuru County.

She garnered 14,996 votes, while the incumbent who came third managed 8,455.

Njoro was formerly part of Molo constituency. Mr Kiuna has been its MP for two terms.

In Gilgil constituency, youthful nominated senator Martha Wangari made a great showing in her first attempt at elective politics, garnering 14,031 to win the Jubilee party ticket ahead of the August 8 polls. She beat the incumbent MP Mathenge Ndiritu who had been declared winner with 15,043 votes but she was declared winner after she successfully petitioned the results.

In Naivasha constituency, former MP Jayne Kihara trounced the incumbent John Kihagi in the primaries and is set to make a political comeback.

Mrs Kihara garnered 21,111 votes against Mr Kihagi’s 8,225.

Others who have made a show in politics include Mrs Francisca Kamuren who was running for Nakuru Town West constituency seat.

Ms Kamuren came second with 3,431 votes after losing to the incumbent Samuel Arama who garnered 5,655 votes.

She cited hooliganism as one of the challenges she faced during the nomination exercise.

“Compared to my male counterparts who had hired some hooligans who camped at the polling centres, women usually go for a free and fair exercise. Some of the women who had come out to vote for me got scared and kept off the polling station,” said Ms Kamuren.

She advises women in elective politics not to give up because of challenges that come with it.