This archive report was first published on 1 October 2019.
Women leaders in succession outfits have betrayed Kenyans ¶
Published on October 1, 2019, by MACHARIA GAITHO
Women politicians in Kenya have been at the forefront of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and Deputy President William Ruto's 2022 presidential election bid, but their efforts have been criticized for serving the interests of men rather than women.
Team Embrace, a group of women politicians from the ruling Jubilee Party, has been campaigning for the BBI, while Inua Mama, a rival group, has been opposing the initiative and supporting Ruto's bid.
However, critics argue that these groups are mere vessels for men's agendas, and that women leaders in Kenya are mere appendages of a patriarchal system.
They point out that women in Kenya face numerous challenges, including under-representation in Parliament, corporate boardrooms, and management suites, as well as discrimination and inequality in many fields.
Instead of working to address these issues, women leaders have been accused of reducing themselves to mere platform dancers at the pleasure of male politicians.
This is a betrayal of the highest order, as women leaders have the power to shape the national agenda and lobby for women's interests at the highest level.
However, they have ignored their core constituencies and taken their loud song and dance to political rallies that do not address their real pressing concerns.
As a result, it becomes difficult to make the case for higher women representation in Parliament and other areas when those already privileged to sit in such organs betray the trust.
