Women face dirty politics in the race for Kisumu seats

Kisumu Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga addresses journalists on February 3, 2017. She wants to be the governor of Kisumu. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ms Ogot says women have a hard time contesting in some areas where they are considered outsiders.
  • Ms Oyoo, who seeks to defeat Paul Achayo of Migosi ward, says the society must not view women as the weaker sex.

Women in Kisumu County are flexing their muscles to vie for powerful positions in the August elections against many odds.

Many have raised concerns of intimidation, harassment and cultural norms that marginalise them.

Those interviewed say their gender has been turned into a campaign tool by men who disparage them in a bid to force them out of the race.

Notable women who have defied all odds to compete against men include: Deputy governor Ruth Odinga, county’s Tourism executive Rose Kisia, Nominated Senator Joy Gwendo, county’s Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation chairperson Atieno Otieno, deputy assembly Speaker Pamela Omino and Chemelil Sugar company director Irene Onunga.

In 2013, only six women were elected as MCAs in Kisumu.

The six – Priscah Auma (Kaloleni Shauri Moyo), Pamela Omino (Central Kisumu), Caroline Owen (Kisumu North), Nereah Okombo (Manyatta B), Benta Ogolla (West Seme) and Petronilla Achieng’ (South East Nyakach) will be defending their seats.

Nominated MCA Caroline Ogot will vie for the Central Nyakach ward seat while her counterpart Faridah Salim seeks the Kaloleni Shauri Moyo ward.

Others seeking the ward seats are Celestine Oginga (Kolwa Central), Jane Nyawade (Ombeyi), Pamela Oyoo (Migosi) and Pamela Akinyi (Manyatta B).

Ms Oginga says she is a victim of both financial and gender challenges facing women and youth.

“As a youth and a woman, I am greatly disadvantaged through harassment, blackmail, and I lack resources. But I am determined to win the seat,” says the 28-year-old.

Ms Odinga, who wants to unseat her boss Jack Ranguma, says women aspirants have become “endangered species” due to violence meted on them.

“Women have continued to be attacked and the men organise youths to heckle them in rallies. It is very wrong to ask a woman about their marital status when nobody bothers to pose similar questions to men,” says the deputy governor.

She adds: “We are also concerned that despite political parties nurturing the few women interested in political seats, some of those interested in gubernatorial seats are being asked to be their male opponents’ running mates.”

GENDER BIAS
Ms Odinga believes women have what it takes to be governors.

She cites her management record.

Ms Odinga has worked in London as a development officer, as a managing director of Petrol Plus company in Kenya, and at the family’s business, Spectre International, where she started as sales and marketing director before rising to become the firm’s CEO.

After that she resigned to become Mr Ranguma’s running mate.

However, things did not turn out the way she thought.

As a deputy governor with managerial experience, Ms Odinga says she found it strange that the position did not have a portfolio.

She has had a rocky relationship with her boss but says women in leadership positions have to be strong and not fear demanding for good governance and democratic practices.

Politically, it has not been easy for her to prove that her political journey is based on merit and not her relationship to Opposition leader Raila Odinga.

In fact, she says, her family was against her vying for the Kisumu gubernatorial position, which she had initially set her eyes upon.

“At a family meeting, they tried to convince me to shelve my idea. I felt everyone wanted me to leave politics,” she says.

Dr Kisia, who seeks to replace Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o, argues that women are only viewed as fit to be women representatives.

“I know it is a hard task but I will explain why I want to be senator to my people. I will bank on my experience as a county executive committee member to win the seat and be the ambassador of the people of Kisumu at the Senate,” says the official.

She will face off will Nyando MP Fred Outa, businessman Ocholla Ogoda and Prof Israel Kodiaga.

In 2013, she lost the ODM nomination for Woman representative to Rose Nyamunga.

But, she was appointed an executive to head the tourism docket.

Now, says Dr Kisia, her experience in working in the county gives her an upper hand over her competitors in the race for Senate.

“I have a wide knowledge on devolution issues not only at the national level but also on the domestic front,” she says.

DEATH THREATS
In the parliamentary race, Ms Margaret Oumah, an economist, will vie for the Kisumu Central constituency seat.

Ms Oumah banks on her work with the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which she says has brought her closer to the people, who see her as a development expert.

“I have been a reference point for people asking about CDF. This comes from my previous position as a district development officer,” she explains.

For her, resources are the biggest challenge. Additionally, propaganda worries her.

Her male opponents, she says, ask her why she is leaving her job to join politics. “Politics is for politicians,” they say.

Ms Gwendo, who wants to unseat Shakeel Shabbir as Kisumu East MP, says the insults are based on the fact that she is a woman and are a great challenge to women aspiring for leadership posts.

“I face a lot of challenges. The biggest being insults based on my sexuality and societal challenges considering we live in a patriarchal society,” says the nominated senator.

The assembly deputy Speaker, Ms Omino, expresses concern about severe threats including death, forcing others to leave the race.

“This has greatly affected new entrants into the political field. We also lack resources as women do not own parcels of land, hence cannot use titles to seek for bank loans for campaigns,” Ms Omino says.

Ms Ogot, who seeks the Central Nyakach seat, says women have a hard time contesting in some areas where they are considered outsiders.

“Women have a problem contesting where they are married because some clans only want their native sons to vie and not women married there,” Ms Ogot says.

For her colleague, Ms Salim, vying for the Kaloleni Shauri Moyo seat, violence associated with sexism is of great concern to female aspirants.

“Women face both verbal and non-verbal threats and insults from male opponents and their supporters and are always being linked to immorality. This has discouraged many from vying especially the young ones,” Ms Salim says.

The Kaloleni Shauri Moyo incumbent Ms Auma, who will face off with Ms Salim, is confident that her experience has made her stronger in politics.
“The men have perfected insults against women but I’m getting used to it,” says the former Kisumu mayor.

CHANGE PERCEPTION
Ms Nyawade, whom in 2013 clinched the ODM certificate but was trounced by PDP candidate Joshua Auko, is sure of a win this time around.

“Male chauvinism was the greatest threat that undermined my election in 2013 but I am alive to restore my lost glory. I am ready to break the jinx of people rooting for sons of the soil to vie against married women,” Ms Nyawade says.

Other aspirants such as Kisumu North MCA, Ms Owen of Federal Party of Kenya, blame political parties for failure to rein in chauvinism.

Ms Owen, who withstood the ODM wave in 2013 beating her male opponents, laments that main political parties are dominated by men thus locking women out.

“I won the ODM ticket in 2013 but unfortunately I did not get the certificate despite being a woman. I, however, have no regrets because I finally managed to win. It is, however, the duty of political parties to nurture women leadership,” she says.

Ms Oyoo, who seeks to defeat Paul Achayo of Migosi ward, says the society must not view women as the weaker sex.

“It is a hard task for a woman to run for a political office because you are usually viewed as someone trying to create a position in a male dominated world,” says Ms Oyoo.

Similar sentiments are shared by Ms Akinyi who will face off with another woman, Ms Okombo, for the Manyatta B ward seat.

According to the Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida), Kenyan women have the lowest level of parliamentary representation in the region at 19 per cent, compared with at least 30 per cent in neighbouring African countries.

LEGAL REQUIREMENT

In 2013, 16 women and 274 men were elected to the National Assembly.

In addition, 47 women were elected to serve as county women representatives, a new position created by the Constitution.

Women were also nominated to five out of the 12 nominated seats for special interest groups. Currently, 68 women seat in the National Assembly.

In the senate, women did not win any of the 47 elected seats.

However, 16 women were nominated from party lists in proportion to the number of seats won by each party.

Two were also nominated to represent the youth and the disabled.

Overall, there are 18 women in the Senate, representing 27 per cent of membership.

In the 47 county assemblies, the second tier of devolved government, women won 82 out of 1,450 elected seats, or five per cent for ward representatives.

An additional 680 were nominated in order to meet the two-third gender rule.

There are 762 women in county assemblies, equalling 34 per cent of membership.

Additional reporting by AWC Features