CORD sidelining women from leadership, says deputy governor Ruth Odinga

Kisumu Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga has said she will not accept deputising again. [photo:COLLINS ODUOR/Standard]

Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga has accused Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leaders of not involving women in top leadership positions.

Ruth, who is the Kenya Network of Women Governors chairperson, claimed the coalition has been urging women to go for deputy governor seats in the coming elections.

The Kenya Network of Women Governors is made up of nine deputy governors from across the country.

Ruth said the statement made by some CORD governors that they will have women as their running mates in the 2017 polls clearly shows women have no place in the country’s top leadership.

During the Luo cultural festival held in Kisumu two weeks ago, CORD leader Raila Odinga called on men to give women space to lead. The event saw governors embrace the idea of choosing women as their running mates in the 2017 General Election.

The party indicated that economic, social and political empowerment of women was one of its top agenda.

RETRACT STATEMENTS

However, speaking to The Standard yesterday, Ruth said the statements made by the CORD leadership should be retracted and women be assured of fair and competitive elections since men have taken advantage of the statements and are making efforts to deter women from going for gubernatorial positions.

The deputy governor said nine women across the country have since declared their interest in vying for  gubernatorial positions, adding the CORD leadership’s statement may hamper the women’s ambitions.

“It is not correct for any leader to tell women to go for lesser positions like deputy governors post because that is a position which is decided by the gubernatorial candidate,” she said.

“Can’t we be ashamed that the Council of Governors is a club of 47 men, a situation which does not respect the two-thirds constitutional requirements on gender representation? Are we still meant to play second fiddle in leadership?”

Ruth, who had expressed interest to vie for the gubernatorial position in 2013, reiterated that women leaders will work together irrespective of their political affiliations to push for more women governors in 2017.