Suppression of our women is unfair and retrogressive

It’s a constitutional fiat that one gender must not constitute more than two-thirds of elective or appointive positions. That innocuous phrasing reflects two key pillars of Kenya’s patriarchal and misogynistic culture. The first is male amnesia and privilege — the blind spot that the Constitution couldn’t even explicitly name the female gender as the basis for the new norm.

The second is that a one-third share for women in public office is presented as a triumph — a great plateau of achievement. That’s why today I am moved to address the dearth of women in Kenyan politics. As former American President Barack Obama stated during his visit to Kenya, it’s plainly stupid — and self-defeating — for a team to play at half strength.