Waiguru urges UDA to empower its Nominated Women Leaders

UDA affiliate women leaders Senator Veronica Maina (from left) Naomi Waqo, Kirinyaga Governor and COG Chair Anne Waiguru and Laikipia Woman rep Faith Gitau during the UDA National Women Congress at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi on October 13th,2023 [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Council of Governor's Chairperson Anne Waiguru has urged the United Democratic Party (UDA) to practically empower its Nominated Women Leaders to enable them vie for the future elective posts.

Waiguru said UDA should allocate at least 30 per cent of its resources to offer tangible leadership solutions to nominated Women Leaders both in the National and the County Assemblies.

She spoke during the UDA party Women Leaders forum held at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi.

“The Party should create platforms for the Women leaders to be Visible and build themselves to be recognised as leaders in their respective electoral areas,” she said.

She further called on Women leaders to actively participate in empowerment programmes to propel them to Political Seats.

The Governor said that Woman Representatives are allocated less than 25 per cent of NG-CDF resources, which she said was inadequate to cause a positive development Impact.

“The only way is to ensure women are not only visible but empowered to go for the Contested seats,” she stated.

Waiguru decried that the recently appointed UDA elections managers recruitment was not gender sensitive adding that the list of the women in the management team was less than 10 per cent.

She urged the top UDA officials to re-look at the matter and constitute a more inclusive party elections team.

“The Party Organ should address fears that the elections will not be fair, going by the fact Women are under-represented in the elections Committee,” Waiguru said.

The Kirinyaga Governor was among the first three Women to clinch the gubernatorial seat in the highly contested 2017 General Election and retained her seat in 2022.

Waiguru who was recently unanimously re-elected as Council of Governor's Chairperson has been on the forefront to Champion for Women Rights and Empowerment.