Source: The Star
Centre for Multiparty Democracy programmes officer in charge of gender Sarah Muhoya has told Kilifi women to not to shy away from aiming for higher elective political seats.

Speaking in Kilifi on Saturday during the CMD-Kenya Kilifi county forum, Muhoya said it was disappointing that no woman in the county has shown interest in the governor seat position.

"Many women are going for the women representative position which is already reserved for women, but they do not want to run for the governor seat," said Muhoya. She said those who opted to run for the senate seat were even fewer. "This will make the women have minimal bargaining power in the county."

Kilifi county senate seat hopeful Naomi Cidi said most women keep away from the top seats because of the "electorate's voting attitude". Cidi said all the county's constituencies have been under men's leadership, "because women get locked out at nomination level."

"It has been very hard for women in this area to sail through nominations and most of us fear that we might not be voted by men that's why most women are shying away from the seats," Cidi explained. However, Muhoya observed that riparian traditions and lack of proper legislative frame work is the main reasons for the women shying away from the positions.

She pointed that the belief that women are not supposed to hold top positions in the society is still rife in the county and advised women to shun such notions. Women in Kilifi County have been challenged not to shy aware from vying for political seats. "It is still common in the County that many decisions are made by men and women are always sidelined due to traditions or religious beliefs," she said

"We need more women to go for the top seats so that we get a representation through election and not nomination. Nominations shall burden our economy as a country and we should make sure we beat the gender parity rule," said Kilifi county women political caucus chairperson Linah Buni. 

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