Affirmative action is no handout
 Tony Gachoka, Political activist
Affirmative action debates are really trivialities. I can’t understand how a man who is married, born to a woman, father to a daughter has a problem helping his wife, his mother, his daughter. It is absolutely ridiculous that men can enter into any debate about helping his wife, his mother, his daughter or his sister.
The girl child is discriminated against right from birth. She is not given equal opportunities with boys. She is denied access to education and inheritance.
When as a woman she asks for the scales to tilt in her favour why should it be considered a handout. You are just giving her what you denied her at birth. We must correct how we treat the girl child from birth and if we do, we will never need to have the argument as to whether proportional representation should be supported by Affirmative Action or not. Affirmative Action is only an issue because we messed up at birth.
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 Steve Kabucho, Advocate
The majority of the men who hear about affirmative action, obviously for those who have a vague idea of what affirmative action is, have a tendency to think that it is about having women dominate over them or taking the lions share which is clearly not the correct position.
It is just saying that we need to have women because they are already disadvantaged. At least through affirmative action, we put them to an almost footing. Even the proposals to have 30% in my view, still leaves men with the lions share of 70%. Click here for more>>
 Matia Mandela, ICT Expert- Computer for Schools Kenya.
I hold strongly that women in Kenya should be empowered. I believe it is important to put women in leadership positions. For so long, women in Kenya have been marginalized in very many respects and I think it is time Kenya started walking in the same direction that the rest of the world is headed. The world is making great steps in terms of gender equality, governance and including women into leadership positions. Kenya can not afford to walk alone. Neither can Kenya afford to walk in the opposite direction.
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Culture is the biter lemon that nobody can afford to ignore
Mark ole Karbolo, Ilkerin Integral Development Programme
 The Maasai word for women translated, actually means ‘boss’ or ‘Mkubwa’ and when I look at the life of my own mother she is as powerful if not more powerful than my father… I am a firm believer in women empowerment and in their abilities. In the Maasai community, for instance, if we want to make any changes we target women. We give them more resources, more positions, we train them and expose them so that they then go and change their own culture because they are the people who perpetuate some of the negative aspects of culture including FGM. If you want to tackle FGM among the Maasai don’t target men, target women they hold the key to it.
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 Edgar Lumbasio, Christian Partners Development Agency
Pastoral communities, in my view, are least likely to vote for women for the reason that they don’t recognize women as leaders.
I have participated in their circumcision ceremonies in Samburu where even the division of the slaughter leaves a lot to be desired. Men take the best parts of the cow and give the women the inferior sections like matumbos (intestines), and the lungs. The surprising fact is that these women go home very happy and as men are left roasting their ribs and feasting on the prime cuts of the c ow. As far as programme work is concerned among the pastoral communities,our work is not done.
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Increasing participation of women is a partnership between men and women
 Peter Ocholla – The Caucus for women’s leadership
I believe in a fair chance for all. A woman can do as much as a man can do. Unfortunately I think a million of other men need to be convinced of this situation.
Little by little, they say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. If I talk about women’s leadership to my friends after work, in my home then we can help change these perceptions and the effort needs to come from both men and women.
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Want to know more about The Caucus for women's leadership? Click here
 Okwi Okoh - Presenter, Africa Journal
The more experienced male politicians should adopt upcoming female aspirants and show them through the ropes. They need to mentor them and give them opportunities so that they can then be more visible to the electorate.
Increase in women's leadership starts with you! When propaganda is targeted at women do you just laugh it off? What comments do you make about women and driving?
 Bramwel Karamoja, Mediawise Communication, Nairobi.
Nations around the world have been ruled by men since immemorial, it is time to bring women on board, after all they are our mothers, sisters and wives like the president put it the other day. I would vote for a woman!
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 Peterson Nyagaresi, Ghetto Styles, Youth Group. Pumwani, Nairobi
Men should realize that since creation, and religious books put it candidly so, men were not going to exist without women. The creation story prevails upon us to support each other. I guess we ought to be doing exactly that. Supporting each other in my opinion does not then translate into men being leaders and women followers. Let’s give women a chance. Click here for more>>
Creating a suitable political climate to enhance the participation of women
 Kennedy Otina – Coordinator, Men for Gender Equality Now (MEGEN), African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) Nairobi.
Men for Gender Equality Now (MEGEN) is gravely concerned about violence that normally happens around election period. Mostly the victims in this violence are women... it is for us to communicate to fellow men that there’s need for them not to vote with clubs and fists but with their electors’ cards. We should also encourage women to contest for political positions and not stay at home only to dance at political rallies organised by men and serve tea at men’s parties.
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 Eric Kimani, Advocate
Our politics has to be made less of violence it is far too violent in nature. That violence is enough to put anybody off politics especially women. The extreme violence makes one wonder at what risk am I running to loose your life? We must reduce this violence.
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We believe in women’s leadership
 Mr. Kariri Mucheke, Social worker, Solidarity Goodwill Services, Embu
Whenever children are sent away from school, women are at forefront to make sure that their (children’s) fees are paid. Women help in the growth of the economy, for example where I come from, they work very hard, they till land and graze cattle. I believe they should be helped to ascend to high political positions. I believe we should support them, after all they are our wives, daughters and sisters.
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 Aloise Onguti, Security officer, G4S
Society has changed in great respects in that we even have women who are well educated, much more educated than men. This means they are in a position to compete favorably with their male counterparts, it also means that they qualify to be in leadership positions just as men. Women are also not corrupt and that is a fact.
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 Wilfred Ongeri, Technician, Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC)
Women should be given opportunity to excel. They should be given at least 50% as the president has pledged. The benefit in this is that there will be opportunity for women to work hand in hand with men; the advantage in this arrangement is that it lifts the social fabric of families, and you know this does also contribute towards lifting our economic level.
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Men creating spaces for women in Political parties
John Oduory Indimuli – Chairman, United Democrats of Kenya (UNDA-Kenya)
UNDA’s principle of equality and women’s empowerment permeate in all aspects of life. The party seeks to narrow gender inequalities that are manifested in the access, utilization, and control and ownership of productive as well as political power. The party seeks to empower women to play an active and effective role within UNDA. The party enhances women’s knowledge and skills base in socio-economic and political spheres of life and to create favourable conditions for political and economic empowerment based on their demands contained in the Kenya Women’s Manifesto. Click here for more>>
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Dinner for two?
Cynthia Mutere - Budalangi constituency
Tiyah Galgalo - Isiolo North constituency
ICT, entrepreneurship and life skills training for women
