By Emanuel Tarus, DevReporter, Trans Nzoia County
August 9, 2022 general election has attracted 1,962 female candidates who were cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
This is an increase by 722 women compared to the 2017 election where 1,240 women were in the race.
In our quest to understand the challenges encountered by women candidates, Radio Baraza engaged some of them in Trans Nzoia County.
Eunice Karanja, running for County Member of Parliament on The Service Party ticket, told Radio Baraza that women candidates face threats from male candidates who do not value women’s leadership.
“What is happening is that some unprofessional politicians do not respect democratic rights of other Kenyans, that is why they will intoxicate youths so that they shout at you, harass and even threaten you,” Karanja said.
Karanja said such politicians do so when they realise that they do not have support from the locals and hence resort to violence.
“Most of the time, men who are contesting against women feel embarrassed when women are received well by electorate. This is not good because Kenya is a democratic country,” she added.
In Motosiet ward, Jackline Kurgat who is eyeing to unseat the incumbent Member of County Assembly (MCA), Bernard Aliang’ana, said that she felt insecure campaigning in some areas.
“I have experienced an unpleasant act where my opponents planted goons to heckle and attack me. Sinoko is not safe for me, I am not free to go there because of what I went through unless I have security,” Kurgat
Kurgat demanded for protection and called on the ministry of interior to take necessary action against the culprits.
“As women running for various elective seats, we demand that the government make arrangements to protect us so that we all contest on a level play ground,” she appealed.
The government should ensure that both men and women are given equal treatment in elections. Kenya has been struggling to achieve the two-thirds gender rule especially in elective posts.
