Beliefs prevent women from seeking political positions

In the past, women have been considered unfit to hold various leadership positions due to reasons such as culture, religious beliefs and other stereotypes within society.

However, due to civic education and massive campaigns by the government, NGOs and other stakeholders, championing gender equality in matters of leadership, there has been a huge shift from the perception that women are not capable of making major decisions. Women have become an important party to various societal decisions.

Despite these efforts, women in some parts of the northern Kenya have been unable to break free of the society that has for a long time been blinded by the curtains of culture and religion.

In Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit and Garissa, very few women have tried to vie for political seats and none has dared to show an interest in the top county positions.

The majority of the women in these counties have stopped at the position of Woman Representative and MCAs which are not as hotly contested as the top seats like those of governor and senator.

In Wajir, for instance, no woman has thrown her hat in the ring to vie for the governorship, senatorial seat or parliamentary seats.

In the governorship race, all the aspirants are male while in the battle for deputy governorship, no woman has so far declared interest.

The scenario is the same in Mandera, Garissa and Marsabit where no woman has expressed interest in the top county seats. The majority of them have, however, shown interest in the Woman Representative and MCA positions.

SENATORIAL SEAT

The only exception is Wajir where one woman, Ms Abdia Baraka, is vying for the senatorial seat. Ms Baraka, who will vying under the Justice and Freedom Party of Kenya, has stood against all odds and is seeking to change the perception that women are only meant for the kitchen by stepping in the ring and fighting her rivals in the political championship. Ms Abdia will face off with male candidates during the August 8 election.

The race for senator is wide open after the incumbent, Mr Abdirahman Ali Hassan, said he will retire from active politics “for the sake of family unity”.

Ms Abdia believes she is equal to the task and nothing will deter her from going after her dreams.

Although a section of the society is opposed to women leadership, she said, some of them were happy to see women engage in politics and, in fact, encouraged them to seek more leadership positions.

According to Ms Rukiya Abdullahi, a ward representative aspirant, some women feared vying for the top seats since they were worried about the harsh response and unfair treatment the society, local religious leaders and the political class were likely to give them.

In Wajir, the post of Woman Representative is crowded, with more than 10 women eying the seat.

In the race for national seats in all the six sub-counties which include Wajir East, Wajir West, Wajir North, Wajir South, and Eldas, there is no single woman aspirant. Only in Tarbaj is there a woman in the race – the current Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Ibrahim.

ONLY NOMINEE

Ms Halima Kahiye, who is eying the Woman Representative seat and the only woman to be nominated for the senatorial position after the 2013 General Election, however, said women in the North Eastern region had to rise up to the occasion and prove their leadership ability.

In order to realise the potential of more women engaging in political matters without fear of victimisation, she said, the society needed to be more exposed to civic education to change their negative perception of women in leadership.

“There have been efforts to educate the society on women leadership and women empowerment. However, in the northern region, more efforts need to be put in place in order to ensure that the society is well informed on the important roles that women can play in any leadership setting,” said Ms Kahiye.

Mr Rashid Ahmed, a resident in the region, said that clan politics had also contributed to fewer women going for top political seats. During endorsements of candidates to lead the community, the elders have always preferred men over women, he said.

This has been evident in the recent endorsements; no woman was backed by the elders who are the sole decision makers in the community matters regarding top county seats except for the Woman Representative position.

He said elders should be enlightened on the importance of having women in leadership.