Kenya@50: The Kenyan woman should stop being a flower girl in politics

Parliament of Kenya

Nairobi;kenya:  A tribute to all women who have fought on and on after Wangari Marthai..........

As I write this article, I know many an average woman would not be able to read it, some are too preoccupied with social media dates to notice this. This piece will not find itself in some big prize giving ceremonies,being a drop in the ocean from a nondescript, the  poor that is me. But still I know it will reach one soul out there.

My grandma tells me that by Independence time the cost for a man to pay for an revere marriage was kshs 2.28 cents. Though there were several herds of cows,sheep and goats to accompany the money, the mature cow then was 1.15cents and a ram was like 28 cents!

Today an average marriage would cost  a man up to and around five(5) million shillings.That's quite a big leap! but looking at the role of women in our elective politics since Independence, the picture is very grim and shows that while  the price of getting married to a Kenyan lady has considerably gone up, her  role in the politics of  Kenya has more of remained at kshs.2.28 cents since  the Independence period. Stagnant!

In national politics, in spite of the gains made possible by the 2010 constitution, their number has remained dismal. Those who made it to parliament are more of flower girls cheering on the likes of Duale and Junnet  to pass laws that equally infringe their rights or simlpy put they didnt bother to attend parliament during the marraige bill debate; only a paltry 9 were in the chambers some of the whom walked out. It  was a pitiable sight to watch.

According to a report released late in 2013 by  a lobby group of women lawyers Titled: Key Gains and challenges; A Gender  audit of Kenya'2013 Election Process.