Nominated woman MCA joins race for Turkana governor’s seat

Women in Turkana County have been urged to vie for all electoral posts including the senator and the governor's seats.

A nominated female MCA, Margaret Loduk, has said that women have been mostly affected by the perennial challenges of food scarcity, lack of clean and safe water and that these can be easily addressed when women rise to power.

Ms Loduk, who has declared interest in the Turkana governor's seat said that no woman was elected as an MCA, MP, Senator or governor with most of them again crowding in the race for woman representative’s seat.

"Lack of women in such elective positions is a major challenge in advocating for resources in key sectors.

“This pastoral region must have enough water because the once marginalised county now receives billions of shillings to address perennial problems that have exposed villagers to years of vulnerability," she said.

Ms Loduk said that on average, Turkana has an annual budget of Sh13 billion yet women and herders from every part of the country have been forced to continue hustling for water every year.

MAKE WATER PROVISION PRIORITY

"People are still drinking dirty water from dry riverbeds across the county.

“If elected as the governor I will prioritise water as many girls who trek for over 20 kilometres have also been vulnerable to rapists," the MCA said.

Lack of water has also forced thousands of residents to move to Uganda with children dropping out of school.

She said that towns too are faced with water scarcity with residents of Lodwar Town being forced to fetch water from the nearby River Turkwel.

Ms Loduk said that girls in pastoral communities should be supported to embrace education instead of being viewed only as a source of wealth in form of livestock paid as dowry.

She observed that educated girls will be able to take care of their parents in old age.

Her bid has been boosted by Oxfam, Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) and Youth Agenda organisations who have rolled out a campaign to mobilise and sensitise Kenyans on the gender agenda in mainstream politics in order to have more women elected in various seats across the country.

Youth Agenda Programmes Officer Mildred Nzau told Nation.co.ke that Sh54 million will be used in the ‘Vote A Dada’ campaign.

The campaign is funded by the European Union and is advocating for increased women participation and representation in the 2017 general elections.

Ms Nzau welcomed Ms Loduk bid to view for Turkana governor's seat.

She said that over 70 women leaders in Turkana have shown interest to vie for senate, National Assembly and county assembly seats.