Party leader now accuses Nasa of discrimination

Citizen Conventional Party Leader Grace Akumu during a press briefing in Kisumu. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/Standard)

Citizens Convention Party (CCP) leader Grace Akumu has accused the Opposition of discriminating against women party leaders when different political outfits met at Bomas of Kenya last week.

Ms Akumu said women were ignored at the meeting that was meant to jump-start the formation of a united front, the National Super Alliance (Nasa), ahead of the August elections.

Akumu claimed she and Chama Cha Uzalendo party leader Wavinya Ndeti were not given deserving recognition yet their parties were part of Nasa.

Other parties in the alliance are ODM, Wiper, Ford Kenya, Amani National Congress and Chama Cha Mashinani.

"Wavinya and I sat on the dais with other Nasa bigwigs. Only some acknowledged our presence but we were not given a chance to speak. It was a male-dominated affair," she complained.

The chairman of CCP, Vincent Baraza, said any party that wanted to succeed should make women part of the process.

"Most often, men tend to disagree. It is the duty of women to unite them, just like in a normal family set up. Their value in leadership cannot be underestimated," he said.