Kisii Women representative, Dorice Aburi has challenged the women and youth in the Gusii region to compete for elective posts that men in the region have predominantly occupied. Speaking during a community dialogue forum in Marani Sub County, Aburi decried the underrepresentation of elected women leaders in the region saying Kisii has only one female Ward Representative while the neighboring Nyamira County with a population of 20 Members of the County Assembly has none. She noted that women are capable of contesting for other elective seats in the Senate and County Assembly in addition to those provided for them in the constitution. The Women’s representative pledged to support the women and youth in the region to overcome the barriers that come with contesting for the seats such as lack of resources and failure to meet the required academic qualifications. ‘I want to encourage our women and youth and tell them that leadership has no limit and does not belong to any particular gender,’ Aburi affirmed. Kenya Young Parliamentarian Association CEO, Antony Buluma who graced the forum noted they are keen on ensuring that more women and youth are elected into office so that as they transform the face of Kenya, they do it while considering the generation that will inherit the leadership. Buluma encouraged the elected leaders, particularly young parliamentarians, to embrace dialogue forums that promote engagement with the locals so that they listen to their concerns and enhance accountability. In addition, he pointed out that resolutions from such dialogue forums will enable the elected leaders to take up the issues of concern and table them in Parliament and the County Assembly for action. On his part, Mzalendo Trust Head of Policy and Partnerships Philip Gichana said they were in Kisii to start the conversation on women and youth leadership at the grassroots. Gichana said the organized dialogue forum will help them to understand why Kisii and Nyamira Counties have never elected a female Member of Parliament and why the community members are reluctant to support women’s leadership. Statistics from UN Women indicate a 16 percent increase in women-held elective seats during Kenya’s 2022 General Election. However, many women aspirants including those from Kisii and Nyamira Counties failed to clinch the elective seats due to old practices and norms that undermined their campaigns.

Source:Kenya News Agency