From Passaris to Waiguru: Who will protect women leaders from gender based attacks

Esther Passaris has come out to defend herself against Sonko's (Photo: Instagram @esthermpassaris)

A worrying trend is emerging in which women leaders are increasingly being verbally attacked based on their gender rather than issues at hand, with very little defence from the public or fellow leaders. The attacks, be they physical or verbal, often see the attacker, walk away scot-free with little impact on their reputation. Conversely, the attacked has her reputation shattered and her integrity questioned.

The continued back and forth between Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris has sparked mixed reactions across the country. While some people have come up in defence of the Governor, others have called for better treatment of women as a whole.