Kenyan Woman 027.Pdf

1 Issue Number 27 • June 2012 Issue Number 27 • June 2012 Will the Equality Commission live to its name? Women are watching the space as Winnie Lichuma takes office …By Jane Godia proaches to end discrimination.” Women leaders at a conference to look into their rights in the new Lichuma acknowledges that her constitution. The women are now looking up to Lichuma to ensure that peaking during a cocktail six year mandate could be long or the gains made in the new constitution are not watered down. hosted on her behalf by IPAS short because of the task ahead of Africa, Winnie Lichuma, her. “My mandate is six years and chairperson of the National this can be long or short depending SGender and Equality Commission on how I work. Let us work together. nation during nominations and that Faith Kasiva, a women’s rights noted that the six years of her tenure I am giving an assurance that I will women win in some constituencies. advocate and Director Africa could be very long or very short. This deliver on my mandate.” By the look of things, the 47 gover- Gender and Media Initiative is because of the task that this new nors may end up being an all-male af- (GEM). body will seek to fulfil during this Task fair because all those who have indi- “It is a challenge to the wom- time especially now that the country However, even before she settles cated interest in the positions are men en across the country to engage is trying to engage with its new con- on her seat, Lichuma is already fac- except Wavinya Ndeti who would like with the Commission and chan- stitution. ing as huge task of ensuring that the to vie for Machakos County. nel the issues of the challenges Lichuma who was appointed affirmative action entrenched in the they are facing on gender in- chairperson realises that it will not be constitution works for the benefit of Mandate equality,” reiterates Kasiva. She engaging in policy, the Commission easy unless she gets support from all women who have faced cultural and “The National Gender and Equal- advices: “Women need to own the needs to see how women are going to concerned Kenyans. “The mandate political discrimination. The country ity Commission is the vehicle that has Commission because it is our com- benefit from it at the grassroots level. of the National Gender and Equal- is headed for general elections and been constituted within the constitu- mission. “We hope the Commission will ity Commission is huge and I will be must see to it that not more than two tion to redress gender inequality and place gender issues in national debate calling on Kenyans for consultation thirds of one gender are not elected promote women’s empowerment. Benefits and make gender equality and wom- on how to write a proper strategy,” to all political seats. This means the This is a milestone against the back- According to Kasiva, the Com- en’s empowerment everybody’s busi- says Lichuma. “I will endeavour to Commission will have to work and ground that the Commission has a mission needs to go out and engage ness,” observes Kasiva. work with men and women, boys and negotiate with political parties and broader mandate, higher budget, well with practical issues that affect the girls using human rights based ap- veteran politicians to stop discrimi- financed and better resources,” says woman at the household level. While Continued on page 4 EDITORIAL hese are surely interesting entertain, Section 14 (1), states that They are Narc Kenya’s Martha Ka- on the eve of the controversial 2007 interpret affirmative action clause in times for Kenyan politi- the Registrar of Political Parties shall rua, a former powerful Minister for General Elections, which left Kenyans the new Constitution as far as the a cians, women and the pub- not register a political party which – Constitutional Affairs, Water minis- split like never before and wounded as third of either gender clause is con- lic in particular. is founded on an ethnic, age, tribal, ter, Charity Ngilu’s Narc, who was the over 1,000 men, women and children cerned on the composition of the next TPolitical parties are mushrooming racial, gender, regional, linguistic, first credible woman presidential can- were killed and over 600,000 were dis- Parliament. up every other day like weeds and they corporatists, professional or religious didate in 1997, Youth and Sports As- placed, maimed, raped and left trau- Indeed, a cross section of women seem not to lack officials and support- basis which seeks to engage in propa- sistant, Wavinya Ndeti’s Chama Cha matized for life. leaders have vowed to defend the Con- ers to join in the carnival at their re- ganda based on any of these matters; Uzalendo and former Assistant min- The 160 of so-called “briefcase stitution to the hilt saying that they will spective launch. (b) uses words, slogans, emblems or ister Dr Julia Ojiambo’s Labour Party parties” translates to about three for not tolerate anyone trying to frustrate But the faces of high profile wom- symbols which could arouse ethnic, of Kenya. each Kenyan ethnic community in- the gains they had made at the Bomas en are still missing from the campaign age, tribal, racial, gender, regional, Other than having the highest cluding the El Molo! constitutional conference, as captured trail of most of the heavyweights in the linguistic, corporatists, professional or number of women led political parties But now there is hope for women in the new Constitution, that will be presidential race. religious divisions.” so far, a former preserve of their male leaders who would like to seek elective two years in the next few months time. The Political Parties Act has Thanks to the stringent rules and rivals, two women are already cam- posts in any of the six posts created There is no turning back, is their trimmed from 160 parties to below 50, liberalization in the political arena, paigning to occupy the most powerful by the new Constitution. They are the clarion call as they face the next polls. at the end of the mandatory registra- more women politicians have come office on the land. women’s representative in each of the As the late Tetu MP, Prof Wangari tion deadline on April 30, 2012. out and registered their respective par- The two are Gichugu MP, Martha 47 counties in addition to the com- Maathai, who served as Environment The pro women Act provides for ties, while a handful are standing tall Karua, and youthful Kingwa Kamen- petitive ward representatives; mayoral Assistant minister, and Nobel Laure- registration, regulation, and funding as their party leaders. chu, 28, alumni of the University of (where applicable), parliamentary, ate, summed it up so well saying: “Af- of political parties and for matters in- So far, the following parties are be- Nairobi, who is yet to announce her governorship, senate and presidency. rican women in general need to know cidental thereto and connected there- ing led by women of substance who party of choice after making the land- Women leaders are watching with that it’s OK for them to be the way with. have made a name for themselves in mark announcement a year ago. baited breadth the long awaited ruling they are - to see the way they are as a But the Act is clear about what the their own right in and outside the au- The country had faced the highest on a case filed by several civil society strength, and to be liberated from fear registrar of political parties will not gust House in the past decade. number of registered political parties groups seeking to have the High Court and from silence.” 2 Issue Number 27 • June 2012 Act opens up more opportunities …By Carolyne Oyugi She pointed out that some cultures do not allow women to enyan women stand bet- talk in public forums and in im- ter chances to join political portant meetings. parties than ever before. Her other concern is the reli- The women have re- gious practices that do not allow Kceived a boost from the Political Par- women to mingle with men. ties’ Act 2011 which among other “How do you expect women to requirements directs that political be involved in leadership if you do parties must uphold gender balance. not give them the chance to try?” The Act that was assented on posed Wambui. August 27th 2011 and became op- However, Paul Muite, leader erational in November the same year of Safina Party noted that as a has clearly indicated that no party party they have been involved shall be registered if it does not meet with women even before the Act this condition. was enacted. He gave examples Though gender does not only re- of powerful leaders like Supreme fer to women, historically the women Court Judge Njoki Ndung’u and of Kenya have been sidelined when it Njeri Kabeberi. comes to politics. “Safina was the first party to According to Dinah Awuor, Vice nominate a disabled woman for a chairperson of Safina Party, politics parliamentary seat. This was at the has for a long time been the main tool time when no party willingly ac- for economic empowerment. cepted a woman leader leave alone Water Minister Charity Ngilu who is the chairperson of the National Party a disabled one,” Muite explained. of Kenya (NPK) submits registration documents to Registrar of Political Empowerment Addressing women aspiring parties Lucy Ndung’u in a bid to comply with the Political Parties Act.

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