Women leaders seek to educate more girls

By Kepher Otieno

Women professionals in Nyanza say opportunities will elude them if they do not educate girls.
Consequently, they have come up with plans to conduct civic education on the new Constitution, especially its impact on education.

Former Nyanza Provincial Director of Education and TSC Commissioner Roselyne Onyuka said unless emphasis was laid on girls’ education, future women leadership would be bleak.

“This is why we want to focus on viable socio-economic and political philosophies that will ensure holistic development of women, especially in the rural areas,” she said.
Ms Onyuka, who is eyeing the Homa Bay County Women Representative seat, claimed that the Affirmative Action enforced in the new laws was viable for women.
Minimum threshold
“But the greater challenge still facing us is education. Majority of women do not meet the threshold to vie for the seats. Ward representatives are most affected,” Onyuka said.
Onyuka claimed that most women interested in running for elective seats lack the minimum Form Four educational requirement. This had in turn inhibited majority of the women from contesting although some of them had huge following at the grassroots.

“This is why my campaigns will focus on rededication and allocation of more resources to girl-child education to motivate parents to invest in training girls,” she said.
Onyuka was speaking to The Standard after meeting delegates in Homa Bay County to clarify that she was in the race for

Women Representative and not the Senate.
“I am in for the Women Representative slot and those who want to wish my candidature away will be shocked. I will give them a run for their money,” Onyuka vowed.

Competing
She accused some of her alleged political adversaries of peddling rumours to confuse the electorate that she was eyeing the Senate.

Several women professionals have heeded calls by Prime Minister’s wife Ida Odinga to turn up in large numbers to compete for various political positions. 
Ida’s concern has been girl-child education and she has been moving round the country urging parents to put more effort in educating their children, more so the girls.

With the exit of former MPs Phoebe Asiyo, Grace Ogot and Grace Onyango from active politics, there have not been many serious women turning up to run for the political seats in Nyanza.
But with the latest enthusiasm and encouragement of women by fellow professionals and leaders to vie due to advantages anchored in the new Constitution, this looks like it is about to change.

Black out
In Homa Bay, Onyuka will battle it out with businesswoman Gladys Wanga, who has declared her candidacy and hit the ground running.

In Migori County, businesswoman Susan Owino and civil rights activist Denittah Ghati are in the race for Women County Representative.

In Nyamira County, the race pits former mayor Clare Omanga and former Maendeleo ya Wanawake official Wilkista Onsando.
In Kisumu County, wife to former Nyando MP Erick Nyamunga is to battle it out for the County Women representative with Moi University scholar Rose Kisia.

In Siaya County, so far Christine Ombaka, a lecturer at Maseno University, is in the race for Women County Representative and is busy marshalling her troops.
Dr Ombaka told The Standard she had made up her mind to push for the rights of women riding on the new laws and to mentor young girls.

The women asked the media to stop giving them black out or men more coverage, saying they will prove to men this coming election that they are no pushovers.