Our hopes and fears for the election season

On Tuesday, Kenyans will go to the ballot box to express their will regarding who they want their leaders to be for the next five years. Ahead of these elections, we speak to a cross-section of women to tell us what they expect on August 8, and in the days after.

Loyce Njeri Ndegwa, 44, sales person, lives in Kilimani, Nairobi.

“I was reading the paper that people have been told to move out in Mathare, Korogocho and Kibera. I’m optimistic and prayerful, but the politicians are not helping; there’s hate speeches all over. Maybe if the main presidential contestants were different it would be an easier situation, because we never had this problem in 2002. There seems to be tension when particular politicians are in contention. There’s tension in pockets of areas and even in public spaces, but I don’t think we could have a situation as bad as 2007/8 because we have learned. But if care is not taken and security beefed up, especially in slum areas which are soft targets, then we could have a situation.
In 2007/8, I was in Nairobi. There was tension on the third day after I had voted. I was shopping at the building where I work and a senior security official there told me to purchase stuff to last me a week. I remember crossing over the year in my house. I never went beyond the circumference of my neighbourhood on Dennis Pritt Road.”

Angela Ogang’, 36, lawyer, lives in Westlands, Nairobi.
“My mother, who is currently abroad, called me to make sure that I had shopped for three months’ provisions. I told her yes. But actually, I have shopped for one month. I am not in fear but I want to be practical. My family was caught up in the violence that erupted in Burundi in October of 1993 when the president was assassinated. I remember that day because it was the 21st, which happens to be my birthday. Because my parents were in the diplomatic service, we were able to access information and were on alert; as soon as the assassination happened my parents went out and loaded up on shopping – it was a stroke of luck because soon after, the killings started, a curfew was imposed and everything including banks and shops were closed. My father’s secretary lived in a more informal sector where the fighting was concentrated. I remember us trying to communicate with her through a walkie talkie because phone lines were down. She said the militia had come to her house and she and her 10-year-old son survived by hiding in the cupboard. Anyway, since we couldn’t leave Bujumbura by road, a group of us organised ourselves and sneaked into the airport where a private plane flew us to Entebbe. I (don’t think things) will escalate to that point.”

Purity Akoth, 27, business woman, lives in Kisumu.

“I am a mother of two. I am afraid of what might go wrong after voting day. My greatest fear is that a time will come when I will not have enough food supplies. There is already a shortage of food in the market. Even when you do find some food items, the prices have almost doubled. When you ask, they tell you that suppliers are no longer bringing food because they are afraid for their safety. I also think that I have a cause to be afraid as a woman. I was working as a business reporter during the last elections and I remember getting harassed and threatened by rowdy youths. My big fear is that these youths will take advantage of the fears and uncertainty of the season to attack and sexually harass women.”

Ndinda A.M, 30, accountant, lives in Runda, Nairobi.

“I am not in any particular fear; especially because nothing happened in the previous elections. I am just preparing to close the office on Monday; I think every office in my building is closing for that whole week. So I say I am not in fear but obviously I am not going to be hanging around town during and after the elections. Why? Because in the 2007/2008 PEV there was a lot of women who were raped, that’s my main fear around being around violence in particular. But for the most part I am just going to stay home and watch series while I see how everything develops. I am hoping for the best.”

Dorcas Waithera, 42, business woman, lives in Athi River, Machakos.

“Everywhere you go, everyone is asking ‘Hii election unaona kukienda aje?’. Everyone is anxious. I have decided to cast my vote early in the morning then pack them all up and go to my mum’s place up country. We live in an area where the tribal divides are very apparent and the sad fact about the Kenyan political climate is that in such times, you don’t feel secure unless you are ‘in your land’. At least at up country I’ll feel that my children are safe – and we’ll be more mentally settled than sitting here in anxiety of whom might come bursting into our door. I don’t want to take chances. Children and women are the ones who get most affected – you know that Swahili saying that when two elephants fight it’s the grass that gets injured? Other than wanting to keep my children safe, my biggest fear as a woman is that the main weapon used against women is rape.”

Cate Nyambura, baker, 40, lives in Kabete, Kiambu.

“My main fear is that when people act on their resentments, it is the women who are the biggest victims. If rioting breaks out when you are in a crowd, it is the women who will suffer the most and also who are targeted. So like us we are being told that when you go vote don’t hang around the polling station longer than necessary. I am wondering why this warning is floating around – kwani what will happen at the polling stations? To be honest I am anxious.”

Maria Laira Swakei, 25, visually impaired university student, lives in Kajiado.

“I live with my mum and four siblings. My father passed away a few years ago. I moved to Nairobi in May so I could go to school – I’m at the Kenyatta University pursuing a degree in Education. We closed university yesterday so I am going back home to vote. This is the first time I’m voting. My mum is stay-at-home mum, she has really struggled to raise my school fees. Most university students finish school and graduate when they are 24 years but I’m only starting now, at 25. My fear for this election is that the voting and counting process will not go smoothly, and we won’t return to school. I really want to return to school for my second semester and study. I hope that the new government will give more support to needy and visually impaired students like me. I approached my governor for financial aid but he gave me many stories and told me he had many problems as a governor. I didn’t go back to him again.”

Sonnia Gitome, 27, script writer and poet, lives in Roysambu, Nairobi.

“If I said I wasn’t afraid, I would be lying. As each day draws closer and I watch the news and learn of what’s happening on the ground via social media, I am gripped by fear that the 2007/2008 violence will be re-born. I fear that the sun will rise with our land’s thirst quenched by our fellow country men’s blood as the smoke drifts up to the skies. I fear that a brother will turn against another brother all in the name of “My candidate, won yours stole” or “Your tribe this, your tribe that”. But then hope embraces me: It comes through the people of all tribes and classes who are calling for a peaceful election. People who are asking their fellow countrymen not to fight or spill blood for a leader who knows not what you go through in your day to day lives, whose kids have no idea what a public school toilet looks like, let alone a public classroom. These leaders are up for an interview and it is us – as voters – who hold the key to their positions. I hope and pray that we will have a peaceful transition regardless of who wins and that our leaders will all accept the outcome. In case any issues arise, I pray to God that they find peaceful ways to tackle them. I will be voting from Roysambu constituency.”