MPs should not let our women down

The search for gender equality in political leadership and decision-making in Kenya has been a long and winding journey. While trends from 2003 to date indicate a significant increase of women in the public service and in politics, the proportion of women to men in all the positions analysed still remains very low.

Representation of women in the public service has risen from 23 in 2003 to 39 per cent in 2014, female Cabinet secretaries have increased from 17 in 2008 to 25 per cent in 2016, while female principal secretaries increased from 11.7 in 2008 to 32.6 per cent in 2016 via executive orders.