Leaders woo women voters with special funds and projects

Politicians from both the government and the Opposition are on a quiet but major charm offensive to woo potential women voters to their corners through development projects and special funds.

Not even the county governments have been left behind in the scramble. Members of Parliament have also been launching women-targeted projects in order to keep close to this crucial block.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, for instance, hosted the new leadership of Maendeleo ya Wanawake organisation for a luncheon at State House last Sunday, barely 24 hours after they were elected to office.

At the function, the organisation chairperson Rahab Muiu pledged to work closely with the head of State during her five-year tenure.

“I want to assure you that we are going to work closely with you to ensure that we revive the national machinery that the organisation has to reach every woman in this country,” she told the President

Like any other incumbent, the President is keen to keep the support of women who comprise slightly over half of the country’s voting bloc.

Over the years, Maendeleo was an appendage of Kanu, the independence party and mostly used by the retired President Daniel Moi to mobilise votes during elections.

Mrs Muiu defended the organisation’s dalliance with the government.

“Our Constitution stipulates that we work with the government because we need security. What we need is empowerment for our members, not politics,” she told Sunday Nation in an interview at her office.

It would be interesting to see whether President Kenyatta would revive the organisation which has not registered so much of political activity since Mr Moi exited the presidency in 2002.

From Table Banking, widely promoted by Deputy President William Ruto’s wife Rachel Ruto, to Uwezo Fund and other projects that are being organised in the name of women empowerment, there is stiff competition for the their attention with analysts like the director of the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi Prof Winnie Mitullah saying politicians are keen to create a network of support they plan to ride on when the next elections are called.

“No one wants to lose it. And equally, nobody knows whether they are sure of their positions and this is why you see the President going to Coast hot on the heels of a tour by the Opposition just to ensure he remains in the minds of the people,” she said.

Prof Mitullah said it is the women who will benefit out of such jostling.

“Whether they are appreciating the role of women in development is a different thing all together but at the bottom-line, the women will be the winners here,” she says.

GENDER BALANCE

Despite the constitutional requirements to have at least a third of either gender in public appointments and their large voting power, the number of women in top positions has always remained low.

Prof Mitullah argues that with intense competition that is being witnessed between the Opposition and the government, each side is keen to own the pool of votes that is found in women.

And because politicians are known not to invest in a people’s welfare without seeking to get political capital, they will be expecting payback especially at the polls from those in whom they have invested.

Mrs Ruto has stated that table banking holds the key to pulling womenfolk out of poverty. For the last one year, she has traversed almost all parts of the country to drum up support for the concept.

“Our objective as women should be to use every opportunity available to engage in income-generating activities which can uplift our living standards. This can be done if we embrace table banking,” said Mrs Ruto recently in one of the tours.