Women ready to bring change to the political arena

When President Kibaki dissolved the ninth parliament three weeks ago, civic and parliamentary aspirants braced themselves for the race to the 10th parliament by making known their political interests and identifying the best political vehicles.

Unlike the previous years this year’s election attracted an impressive number of female aspirants determined to trounce their male counterparts in both the civic and parliamentary elections in the December polls.

This did not however go well for some of the female aspirants with at least four falling prey to politically instigated violence ahead of the primaries. Nonetheless, this did not deter their ambition to bring change to the political arena, a decade after the introduction of multi-partyism to the in Kenya.

After vigorous campaigns and lobbying on different party tickets, the big-three parties (ODM, ODM-K, PNU) held their nominations last Friday to pick their flag bearer’s in the 210 constituencies next month.

The exercise failed to pick up on time in most polling stations owing to a delay in the arrival of the presiding officers and ballot papers. In Nairobi’s Eastlands area many a voter braved the morning drizzle and chill and patiently waited on the snaking queues for their turn to cast their votes for their favorite candidates.

Although PNU had contracted the ECK to preside over the exercise on behalf of the party, the situation was the same with voting beginning in the late afternoon for most of the stations.
While Kamukunji’s Bahati Ward recorded an impressive turnout of women voters, others reported poor/low turn-out a phenomenon that was attributed to fear of harassment and intimidation by their husbands.

The voters who were so enthusiastic to endorse their candidates were also keen on evaluating the aspirants past records, conduct and character as well as their electoral pledges.

According to a voter in Makadara constituency, female candidates stand a better chance of winning an election because they are keen to deliver on their election pledges owing to their emotional side.

Sally Andai is convinced that voting in a woman will bring a transformation not only to the few individuals in her inner circles but the society at large.

“If there was woman aspirant in Makadara, I would definitely vote for her,” she said.
Although some female aspirants were in the race, they were little known because of poor publicity attached to lack of finances and will to sell their pledges as well as conduct meaningful campaigns.

The exercise was however flawed in some constituencies which were marred by rigging and vote buying in a bid to oust strong parliamentary contenders from the race. In Starehe, voters expressed their confidence in ODM’s Bishop Margaret Wanjiru terming her as development oriented.

Moses Mwangi a voter in the constituency says Wanjiru she poised to become the next Starehe MP adding that the immediate former MP hasn’t done much for the constituents.

Whereas the PNU polling stations enjoyed police presence, ODM and ODM-K conducted their polls without police presence resulting to violence in areas where some aspirants were not satisfied with the poll results.