Gloria Orwoba: Ruto has failed Kenyan women

Senator Gloria Orwoba while making her remarks before the the Senate Finance and Budget Committee on May 28,2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] Nearly three years into his term, President William Ruto and his administration have failed women, Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba avers. Speaking on Spice FM on Tuesday, April 22, Orwoba lamented being sidelined by the government and her Party leader when it comes to championing women's rights. Citing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as an example, she said that although the President allocated Sh100 million for GBV and femicide awareness, more needs to be done. "There are several women in government who feel let down by our government. Two years in, things can still turn. The President gave Sh100 million to deal with femicide. At that time, we didn't have a Ministry of Gender. That money was shared amongst leaders to do sensitisation," claimed Orwoba. While acknowledging the funds were helpful, she insisted the Head of State still has more he can do. "We need the courts that deal with GBV to be empowered and to get more magistrates. He can equip them and push for a budget. Additionally, we have gender desks in police stations, which are not functional. I've been pushing for them to be moved to hospitals to help speed up the process. He can make that happen from the top," she added. Her remarks come amid rising cases of femicide, GBV, and sexual violence in the country. In January, a femicide report revealed that at least one hundred and seventy (170) women were killed in 2024, an increase from the annual average of 85 cases recorded from 2016 to 2023. According to Orwoba, addressing such issues goes hand in hand with appointing credible and experienced leaders. Criticising the appointment of Hannah Cheptumo as Gender Cabinet Secretary, the lawmaker argued that while Cheptumo may be a brilliant lawyer, she is not suited for the role. "There's an assumption that the Gender docket doesn't require any expertise. It has been used as a token, and that is unfortunate. The truth is, she should not have been confirmed. She's a brilliant lawyer and good in her field, but no!" "In fact, Aden Duale should have been the Gender CS. Because what you're telling us is we're not looking for a subject matter expert." Adding that, there is still time to do right by the people.

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