You can be sure we’ll have more women in the 10th Parliament

Over 120 women scooped party nominations in the various Political Parties which is a clear indication that women’s numbers will increase in 2008. Compared to just 44 in the last elections, the female aspirants who represented 40% of the total number of aspirants this year, soared to record highs with some beating immediate former MPs by a landslide victory. Of the 120, 42 clinched nomination certificates in ODM-K, PNU, ODM, KANU, DP and FORD Kenya to shame critics who were skeptical of women increasing their numbers in Parliament.

While there still remains more to be done to ensure that these women are able to mobilize effectively in the last leg, a celebration of the challenges they have overcome is inevitable.

Indeed, I remember the words of Political Analyst, Mutahi Ngunyi who said that we were likely to see a new parliament come next year representative of the new generation of voters who were only aged 13 in the last elections.

Women are also likely to benefit from the new generation which does not have reservations about women’s leadership.

Bishop Margaret Wanjiru

Bishop Wanjiru is a new entrant who is likely to be next Member of Parliament for Starehe Constituency should she manage to oust immediate former MP Maina Kamande. Bishop (Dr.) Margaret Wanjiru is the founder and presiding Bishop of Jesus Is Alive Ministries, (JIAM), in Nairobi, Kenya.

Esther Mathenge

Esther Mathenge 54, won the PNU nominations with a landslide in Nyeri Town beating the immediate former MP.  She started her campaign early and is well known for women’s and youth projects in her home town. 

Ms Mathenge, a University of Nairobi graduate who is making her third attempt lost in party nominations twice; 1997 to Mr Kihoro on the Democratic Party ticket and to Mr Mureithi on a Narc ticket in 2002.  Her chances of beating Nickson Wanjau of ODM in a PNU hot zone are almost certain.

Prof Margaret Kamar

Prof Margaret Kamar secured 9,870 votes to clinch the ODM nomination certificate for the Eldoret East parliamentary seat after trouncing outgoing MP Joseph Lagat. The former East African Legislative Assembly MP is also principal of Chepkoilel campus, Moi University in Eldoret, and has been active in Maendeleo ya Wanawake politics in the Rift Valley.

She is a clear favourite in Eldoret East.

Ann Kirima

Ann Kirima who garnered a whooping 16,359 to Ngugi’s 3,658 in the PNU Kinangop nominations attributed her win to support from her constituents with whom she has worked with as well as her family.

“The Government needs to support women with security,” she told a Citizen reporter, “we have overcome the challenges of violence and emerged victorious but the violence may still plague us in the days to come.”

After working closely with the constituents on various development projects in the past year, she has undisputed clout for the Kinangop parliamentary seat.

Martha Karua of Gichugu

Martha Wangari Karua, 50 secured the PNU ticket for Gichugu constituency . The lawyer worked as a Magistrate from 1981-1987, moved into private practice till 2002.

Ms. Martha Karua was a member of the opposition political movement that struggled for the reintroduction of multi-partyism in the early 1990s. Later she was among those forming a political coalition that won power in 2003. She has been a leading crusader for returning Kenya to a multi-party state, widening democratic space and gender issues. Furthermore, she has been a leading legal practitioner. She has been involved in championing women’s rights through public interest litigation, lobbying for laws to enhance and protect women’s rights and through her work with various women’s organizations particularly the International Federation of Women Lawyers-Kenya, FIDA and the League of Kenya Women Voters.

Another first for Karua is that she was the first female jurist to be given the award by the Kenya Section of the International Commission for Jurists in 1999. This was in recognition of her work enumerated above. She was the first woman lawyer to be elected to Parliament and still holds that position. She has been a leading national politician. Karua is currently the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs after serving has Minister of Water Resources Management and Development.

Jayne Kihara

Mrs Kihara won the by-election in 2003 after the death of her husband Paul Kihara.
Even before the death of her husband, she was credited with the vigorous campaigns that ensured his victory in the 1997 and 2002 elections.

The outgoing MP has recorded an impressive development record since she captured the seat and her step-son will have not have it easy ousting her.

She has championed the creation of the new district and is praised for her constituency’s prudent use of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) money.

Prof Ruth Oniang’o (Butere)

Prof. Oniang’o was one of 12 MP’s who were nominated to the 9th Parliament in 2003 on a KANU ticket. 

Prof. Oniang’o is the founder and first Executive Director of Rural Outreach Program (ROP), a not- for- profit community development organization that she created in 1993 and has through this organization literally transformed the lives of many rural poor families in the Butere-Mumias district of Western Kenya and the environs.

The professor says of the 2007 general elections that women are going to the battle fully prepared knowing it is a man’s game but strongly believes that though men have political mileage, women have the opportunity to replace them and make a difference in the 10th Parliament.

Charity Ngilu (Kitui Central)

In Kenya's first ever multiparty elections held in 1992, Charity Ngilu pulled off a big surprise by capturing the Kitui Central constituency seat on a DP ticket.In the 1997 Kenya general elections, she ran for the presidency and along with Prof. Wangari Maathai became the first ever female presidential candidates in Kenya.

Ngilu who is also the NARC chairperson successfully defended her Kitui Central seat during the nomination process on a NARC ticket.

Lina Kilimo (Marakwet East)

Linah Jebii Kilimo has been instrumental in working with the Government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in working towards eradicating FGM. She has also been instrumental in bringing a lasting peace between the Pokots and Marakwets.

She has also been successful in developing the Marakwet East constituency, through providing funding to local school by way of books, more teachers, food programs and even clothing. She has worked with the Government to enhance access to the constituency by construction of an all-weather road, with the intention to make the same a tarmac road in the sort term future.

Betty Tett (Westlands)

Betty Tett, an assistant minister for housing and chairperson of Kenya Women Parliamentary Association has since 1985 been involved in development projects in the constituency, including a scholarship scheme in Westlands managed by her family members.

Westlands Constituency will be a hot spot again come this general elections. This is where the country first knew that the parliamentary nominations are in most cases just a process but in reality the top party leaders usually know whom they want to run for parliament.

Last general elections show down between Betty Tett and Fred Gumo is most likely going to happen with Tett in PNU and Gumo in ODM.

Beth Mugo (Dagoretti)

Beth Mugo an assistant minister for Primary Education in the Ministry of Education is a founder member and director of the Kenya Management Assistance Program, a national consultancy firm for new enterprises, and the founding national chairperson and national patron of the Kenyan chapter of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.

She was the convener of the African region’s Preparatory Forum ahead of the United Nations’ Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in 1995

She is the president of the Council for Economic Empowerment of Women in Africa, a regional non-governmental organization that campaigns for economic justice for women by pushing for mainstreaming and inclusion of gender-friendly frameworks in all legislation and policy.

She has been the MP for Dagoretti since December 1997 and will this year seek to defend her seat on a PNU ticket.