Why many Kenyans will now vote with their wallets in mind

Kenyans queueing up to vote [File, Standard]

In the 1997 elections, I campaigned with all my heart and soul for the current Kitui Governor to be President. That was the first time I came face to face with how deeply ingrained patriarchy is in our politics. As I went round Central Kenya, a place that I assumed was generally open to women leadership, many rank and file citizens laughed away the campaign for a woman.

Surely, one of my favourite aunties, a primary school teacher and local opinion leader asked me, if women can’t even run homes without husbands, how can a woman imagine she can lead a whole nation?