Source: Nairobi Star
Women MPs will launch a mentorship programme to encourage youthful women vie for political positions. Thorough the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association, the female legislators are seeking to identify young women whom they will teach how to achieve the objective through civic education.
"Each of my colleague MPs will havefour or five ladies she will be walking around with so that they canexperience firsthand what it mean to be in politics," said Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro.
"In the programe, the women aspirants will be equipped with skills to manage their campaign and how to approach voters and woo them," she said. The Nairobi Metropolitan assistant minister said this is necessary to encourage women to take up elective posts in the country to ensure the gender quota stipulated in the constitution is achieved.
"Currently, we have 22 female MPs andthe number is expected to rise to about 140 in the next Parliament. Women, especially the youthful ones, must arise and claim their rightful share," said Ongoro. The MP was speaking yesterday when she opened one-day forum by the Young Women in Governance Initiative at a Nairobi hotel.
She urged those present not to succumb to negative cultural belief and stereotypes that women cannot lead. "We are not going to allow stereotypes and negative cultural perceptions to hinder women from achieving what has been prescribed in the constitution," said Ongoro. The new constitution says that no elective or appointive positions should be held by more than two thirds of the same gender.
Although it is agreeable that this will be possible for appointive positions, debate rages on how practical the provision will apply in elective positions. Last year, the Cabinet recommended an amendment to the constitution, citing difficulties in ensuring thatthe third quota gender rule is achievable in elections.
However, Ongoro termed the proposal as arrogant, insisting that women will fight for what has been given to them. "In the past, women have been avoiding politics due to propaganda, misinformation and political violence unleashed on them but now, the new laws provide us with safeguards to ensure a fair playing ground," she said.