Writer: Nanjala Nyabola/ Marie-Emmanuelle Pommerolle (co-editors)
Publisher: Twaweza Communications, 2018
Book: Where Women Are: Gender and the 2017 Kenyan Elections
Pages: 208
Reviewer: Wanderi Kamau
The journey to proper political women representation in Kenya remains elusive, despite the numerous socio-political initiatives to fight for her space.
Among the key impediments to this critical realization are challenges based on cultural biases, gender discrimination and economic deprivations.
This gender-political denial is the key subject in a new book, Where Women Are: Gender and the 2017 Kenyan Elections published this year.
Written by several scholars and published by Twaweza Communications Limited, the 208-page book comprises various in-depth scholarly studies carried out on various parts of the country, reflecting different aspects of how women participated in the 2017 elections.
It is an eleven-chapter compilation done by seasoned scholars, detailing their experiences, interviews, observations and research works on different areas of study on how women participated in the elections.
The introductory note of the book is written by Nanjala Nyabola and Marie-Emmanuelle Pommerolle, who are its co-editors. Headlined ‘Women and Elections in Kenya’, they give an overview, which serves as a welcoming note to the reader on the subsequent pieces. The part also gives a legal framework on gender and last year’s elections, basing its reference on the Kenyan constitution.
References given here are on the electoral system process, composition and Parliament, county government as well as rights and fundamental freedoms.
The third study takes a historical perspective, delving into Kenyan women’s involvement in elections and political leadership from 1963 to 2002.
Written by Lanoi Maloiy, a lecturer at the African Women Studies Centre, at the University of Nairobi, the study cites male dominance of political systems, culture and economy, threats of violence, educational stipulation and gender stereotyping as the present significant barriers for female leaders.
She asserts male dominance of power as the main obstacles to women participating in national leadership of their countries.
The study also recounts the experiences of past Kenyan women leaders such as the late Wambui Otieno, Chelagat Mutai, Grace Ogot and Prof Wangari Mathai.
According to the writer, the eventual characters of these leaders were greatly shaped by a political landscape driven by male dominance, patriarchal structures and ethnic politics.
In the individual case study of each woman leader, the study gives an account of how each had to battle cultural stereotypes, financial constraints, and sometimes violence to finally emerge winners in their respective areas.
At the end of the chapter is a timeline of key events in Kenyan women history, which is a key information piece to scholars of Kenyan history, political science, gender studies among other important fields.
The chapter ‘A Seat at the Table: The Fight for Gender Parity in Kenya’ by Nanjala Nyabola gives an overview on the importance of representative legislatures and the value of quotas in achieving such representation.
She gives several case studies of young women leaders who opted to vie for various civic positions and the socio-cultural backlash they received. She gives a shocking statistical revelation that despite women comprising over 49.6 percent of the world’s total population, only two countries; Rwanda and Bolivia have attained at least a 50 percent threshold on political representation of women.
Giving local and global examples, her view is that the path to achieving gender parity in Kenya is far from over.
What is key in this book is that the researchers were very strategic in their studies, as they focused on areas where patriarchal tendencies towards women have fully manifested themselves over the years.
Some of the areas covered are the Kenyan Coast, where Fathima Azmiya Badurdeen analyzed the successes and obstacles that women contesting for various positions faced, Nyanza region where George Odhiambo analyses gender mainstreaming efforts within party processes while Nanjala refers to a case of Samantha Maina- who contested for a civic seat in Kileleshwa Ward in Nairobi.
In addition, researcher Wangui Kimari looks at the case of urban Borana Women and Structural Violence faced in 2017 elections, Dr Jacinta Muinde looks at Women, Patriarchy and Electoral Politics in the Kenya’s South Coast while Marilyn Muthoni Kamau looks at the missing place in legislature, gender parity and constitutional legitimacy.
Apart from cultural factors, political parties have also been cited as a great setback, as most maintain the “big-man syndrome” and “the who-knows-who” tradition in giving out nomination certificates, thus locking out most able women contestants.
In his study, Mr Okoth blames the Colonial Policy of Neo-Patrimonialism as the origin of women’s political marginalization. He gives vivid examples of weird instances, where certificates of female candidates got lost in unclear circumstances, thus rendering them partyless.
His study points to a great gap in gender representation in the Kenyan political landscape. He says that Kenya’s developmental gains, for instance in her infrastructure, contradicts in the gender parity in the national sphere.
He writes: “Indirect rule introduced neo-patrimonialism and the transfer of authority to local male leaders, facilitating the colonization of the domestic realm, enabling local male leaders to manipulate meaning and redefine relationships, particularly with regards to women roles.”
In a wholesome overview, the book points to a great journey ahead, if women are to fully achieve full representation in national politics.
In the chapter ‘Exploring Feminine Political Leadership Attributes and Women’s Campaigns During the 2017 General Election’ writers Maria Arnal and Fatuma Ahmed Ali say that most women face political rejection as they are tested on masculine characteristics.
Though it is not all gloom for the efforts women make, it expresses optimism that there is still room for women to fully achieve their space in national leadership.
Summarily, the book is timely and a key asset in advancing the national conversation on gender parity.
And given it has come out only months after the much contested elections, it forms a base on how more studies can be done on women participation in national politics and governance.