Nominated women leaders allege harassment in assembly

Kisumu County assembly Kisumu county assembly in session.PIC BY COLLINS ODUOR

Nominated women leaders want a workplace policy formulated to address gender-based violence within the assembly.

The members of county assembly (MCAs) said the enactment of affirmative action laws will help protect the nominated members. They claimed they have recently become victims of verbal and physical abuse from their male counterparts.

MCA Farida Salim said they were angered by repeated intimidation, which they said stops other women coming out to vie for positions.

"I have already made an official communication to the National Gender and Equality Commission to help us draft a law on prevention and management of gender-based violence in Kisumu County. We are tired of this kind of treatment," said Ms Salim.

The war of words between the nominated and elected MCAs has heated up. The nominated leaders claimed they were harassed even in the committees and in public forums.

The MCAs have also claimed the executive has been ignoring them in major activities within the county, hindering their involvement in the development agenda.

Sources within the assembly said the leaders recently tried in vain to convince the executive to allocate them ward development funds, which their elected colleagues have opposed.

Last week, the war of words went viral on social media with Salim posting on her facebook wall: "Hehehe so nominated MCAs are flower girls, bonga points, entertainers of men, had sex with men in order to be nominated. Now, I have a question. When this will be turned around and the men now get nominated in big numbers, what will they be referred to?"

"As a nominated MCA, I can tell you my good friends it has been very demeaning and demoralising to put up with such labeling."

When contacted, Salim confirmed the war of words was due to frustrations by the elected MCAs.

"The worst bit is that some women have also joined this bandwagon of abusing the nominated women MCAs," she said. "One female nominated MCA from Homa Bay had to resign because the pressure from her spouse over these allegations was too much."

Speaker Pamela Jossy, however, denied the intimidation claims, saying all proceedings within the house were guided by rules.

"I know the rules of the House and I cannot keep quiet and watch anyone attack another person. I give equal chances. I request those who have issues to channel to them to the assembly officially," said the speaker.