Editor’s note: This OPED was first published by The Star newspaper. The original link is accessible here.
Kenyans are growing in cognition to embrace equity.
Power relationships between groups—as defined by age, class, disability, ethnicity, nationality, religion and identity—impact women and girls differently.
Even though the 2022 general election recorded fewer cases of physical violence against women, as candidates and voters, other forms of abuse were rife.
Structurally, most processes and policies remain gender-blind. Little effort has been made to remedy this. Women still don’t have a better playing field to compete for political positions.
The law on campaign financing is yet to be implemented. Women running for office, especially the younger ones, are disproportionately affected because they are not as moneyed as men.
These losses happen against the backdrop of prevalent social structural violence in Kenya.
This violence occurs when the social structure or institution harms people—most times women—by preventing them from meeting their basic needs.
It promotes their exploitation, subordination and subjugation. Such a situation denies women opportunities for economic, social and political advancements, key cogs that guarantee successful and meaningful engagement in democratic processes.
The full spectrum of threats against women often manifests in subsequent elections, sometimes puncturing their political participation.
Such violence deters all but the most determined women from contesting, voting and campaigning for presidential, legislative and local elections, further violating their constitutional rights.
Articles 36 and 38 of the Constitution guarantee Kenyans the freedom of association and political rights, respectively. But these fundamental rights are often sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.
Resultantly, many women are scared of vying and participating in political events, a consequence that entrenches inequalities in representation and participation.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme urges us to embrace equity in every sphere, including politics. But underlying injustices complicate the situation.
Emerging trends show that on digital platforms, women face higher rates of sexist and vicious abuse through trolls.
All these threats present a significant challenge to embracing equity, the rallying call for 2023’s Women’s Day.
But there’s hope that Kenya can embrace equity if the country fights historical and emerging structural violence.
In such violent situations, power is unequally distributed, exploitation is rife, and segmentation is a permanent feature. Giving women opportunities to influence policies through participating in polls and other democratic developments extinguishes these threats.
That’s why in 2022, Act Change Transform (Act!), through the Kenya Electoral Conflicts Mitigation and Civic Education Support programme, worked to bring equity in political participation.
We encouraged women to run for office. A host of them got elected as MCAs, while thousands of others across Kenya heeded our calls and cast their ballot peacefully. This impactful programme gave women the power to effect and achieve equity as leaders and voters—and ensure the political environment remains peaceful for such gain to thrive.
Nothing should trump legitimate human rights. All violations—security of a person, political, judicial, socio-economic, developmental, and more—need attention. However, the most critical facet is to have justice, peace, and cohesion in instances where parties feel aggrieved.
Recently, the Azimio Coalition started holding consultative meetings urging electoral reforms. All these gatherings have been peaceful except in Kisii, where opposition supporters were attacked and injured after the rally, with Raila Odinga alleging it was “state-sponsored hooliganism”.
The coalition has threatened peaceful mass action if the government does not meet its demands, calls that are galvanizing their bastions. Similar protests in the past turned violent when riot police, sometimes without justification, forcibly broke them up. Or part of the crowd (the opposition said they were infiltrators) started looting. Women were affected in the ensuing melee.
In the looming protests, the opposition must ensure they remain peaceful in their quest for electoral reforms. Police must provide security and act per the law. If these are done, women won’t be victims of attacks like before.
Let’s end gendered political conflicts.
Journalist and communication officer at Act!
