What is Waiguru's first priority?

Although some critics have warned that women should not come out to defend fellow women on the simple basis that they are women, society cannot be blind to the fact that women are more harshly judged than men when it comes to public opinion. I cannot help wonder whether the criticism on Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru is heightened by the fact that she is a woman.

Looking at the hard stand Ms Waiguru has taken over the graft revelations, she seems confident of her situation and devoid of the embarrassing looting revealed. Could she be a victim of Sheryl Sandberg’s (the author of Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead) analysis?.

‘When a woman excels in her job, both male and female co-workers will remark that she may be accomplishing a lot but is “not as well liked by her peers”. She is probably also “too aggressive,” “not a team player”, “a bit political”, “can’t be trusted,” or “difficult.” The feminist agenda and the unique value of women’s leadership cannot be ignored in this discussion. This is of particular concern at a time when massive corruption is being reported in the public sector. Aimless looting from the public coffers is not a preserve of either gender. To excuse anybody on this basis is alone a drawback in supporting women’s leadership. Still, Waiguru exhibits strong leadership that calls for the situation around her to be looked into keenly before condemnation.

More often than not, acts of corruption in the Government are perpetrated by various individuals. Waiguru is therefore right in that she does not directly do procurement or handle financial transactions in her ministry. Nonetheless, she cannot run away from being responsible for all the people who work under her directly or indirectly through her principal secretaries and directors of respective units. She cannot authoritatively substantiate that she has not offered her good will for the revealed undertakings unless she comes out strongly to literally smoke out the involved culprits one by one.

Her role as a cabinet secretary is a reflection and culmination of the roles of all the other officers who work in her ministry. She must turn her wrath into serious actions that reclaim the confidence that her supporters have for her.

More than ever, she must use every communication opportunity to give evidence of her innocence. She needs to replace the war of words with actions to show Kenyans who is behind her turmoil. For every alleged scandal, Kenyans wish to know the names and faces involved and the actions against these people. Meanwhile, the more Waiguru defends the issues and says she is not involved, the more she sounds like she is guarding something sinister.

Those who agree that she is innocent are equally curious to know who is guilty. In her case, it is not too late to redeem her image. In a country where corruption is the order of the day, she is likely to come out more heroic and celebrated than before.