NCCK urges women to fight for elective posts in 2022 elections

Regional chairman national council for churches in Kenya Alfonse Akanga (center) with fellow members at Jumuia centre in Limuru on 6/7/2021. [George Njunge, Standard]

The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has called on women to seek various elective positions in the coming elections. 

The council, through women clerics led by Bishop Betty Onyango, said that women should cease relying on nominations and instead fight for seats. 

“As we head to the next general elections, we urge women not to shy away from vying for any elective seat. Women must seek election even in areas where men have historically dominate,” Bishop Onyango said in Nakuru yesterday. 

She advised women to take up leadership roles in their respective political parties noting that this way they will gain strength and support to venture into and survive in politics. 

“Women must strive to assume decision-making positions in political parties,” she said.

“They should not view certain posts as reserved for a particular gender. Leadership positions will not be given to you on a silver platter.”

She explained that women are better-placed to lead Kenya, saying that elected male leaders more often turn to them for advice before making social, economic, and political decisions. 

“We are mothers of this nation. Even in national leadership, women should take up their motherly mantle and nurture and raise this country as they would their children,” added Bishop Onyango. 

Her sentiments were echoed by Reverend Martha Kihika who urged women to support their counterparts seeking elective seats in the next polls. 

Gender-based violence

“Women must refuse to be bought and used by politicians who do not have the interests of women at heart.

“Let us support our fellow women who have political aspirations and espouse biblical and moral values,” said Kihika. 

The clerics pointed out that more involvement of women in politics will go a long way in changing the country’s political landscape and trends of electoral violence. 

According to Kihika, having few women leadership positions is partly to blame for the violence that affects women and children the most, at the end of every elections cycle. 

“The cycle of women bearing the brunt of sexual and gender-based violence that traumatises them for life after every five years must be broken.

“Women must lead in changing political campaigns from being incitement grounds for hate speech and violence,” said Kihika. 

She called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), and security agencies to adequately prepare the country for the coming elections.

Business
Premium Burdened Kenyans walk into Easter weekend broke
By Brian Ngugi 30 mins ago
Business
Premium Looming crisis as top lenders stare at Sh500b in bad loans
Business
Premium Water PS Korir put on the spot over Sh14m dam land
Business
Premium Ruto's food security hopes facing storm amid fake fertiliser scam