Garissa Regional Offices Advocate for More Women in Politics

In a significant move aimed at addressing gender inequality in politics, Ann Nderitu, the Registrar of Political Parties, has called for the increased nomination and election of women to political positions in the North Eastern region of Kenya. The call was made during the official opening of the Garissa Regional offices, where Nderitu highlighted the challenges posed by prevailing patriarchal norms that have historically limited women and youth from ascending to leadership roles.

According to Kenya News Agency, the region’s struggle with patriarchy has been a significant barrier to gender equality in political leadership. She emphasized the need for societal change starting from the grassroots to support women’s political participation. “A society is as good as its weakest link. Part of the issues that we are struggling with is patriarchy, and we cannot deny this fact,” Nderitu stated, underscoring the importance of men supporting women in political endeavors as a step towards achieving gender equality.

Further, Nderitu pointed out that the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) is part of a multi-agency team on gender, which has proposed revisions to the political parties act to enforce the two-thirds gender rule in the national assembly. She noted the political goodwill from the president, who has issued a memorandum to parliament addressing the issue of the gender rule among others, as a positive step towards actualizing gender balance in political representation.

Fatuma Hakar, a nominated Member of the County Assembly (MCA) from the United Democratic Alliance, also addressed the gathering, urging women in the area to defy patriarchal norms and vie for higher elective positions such as members of parliament, governorship, and senate without fear. Hakar criticized the cultural and traditional barriers specifically affecting Somali women in Garissa, advocating for unity among women to overcome these challenges.

The event also highlighted the incremental progress in women’s participation in general elections, with data from the ORPP showing an increase in the number of women candidates from 1,358 in 2017 to 1,959 in 2022. Despite this progress, the representation of women in elective positions remains low, with only two women elected to the Wajir county assembly in the recent elections outside of women representative seats.

This call to action for greater female political participation reflects an ongoing effort to combat gender disparities in leadership and underscore the importance of inclusive governance practices in the North Eastern region.