‘We’re the most gender balanced outfit in history’: Kenya Kwanza downplays Karua nomination

The Kenya Kwanza Alliance has rubbished claims that the outfit is gender insensitive just because they do not have a female presidential running mate.

The Deputy President William Ruto-led camp which recently unveiled Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua as running mate in the August polls says although their two top positions are occupied by men, women are well represented in other slots.

Kenya Kwanza’s comments come just two days after their arch-rivals, the Azimio La Umoja coalition party, announced Martha Karua as flag-bearer Raila Odinga’s deputy in the upcoming General Election.

According to Amani National Congress (ANC) party Secretary General Simon Gikuru, however, Ms. Karua’s appointment should not be grounds to criticize Kenya Kwanza over gender representation.

Gikuru, speaking to Citizen TV on Wednesday, told off Azimio-allied leaders for what he described as having gender balance only in the two most powerful positions.

“You cannot just come and tell us that you are now gender compliant or you are the most gender-sensitive because you’ve picked Martha Karua as running mate in Azimio,” Gikuru told Day Break show host Trevor Ombija.

“In Kenya Kwanza, the issue of gender is more elaborate than any other coalition in the history of politics in this country.”

He said that their camp has a raft of positions reserved for women in the cabinets should the outfit clinch power on August 9, as well as female governorship aspirants.

“We are talking about entrusting women with governor positions; Anne Waiguru, Cecily Mbarire, Aisha Jumwa, Susan Kihika, Tabitha Karanja and we have already told Kenyans that the moment they entrust us with formation of the next government, out of the 21 cabinet secretaries, 10 will be women,” Gikuru said. 

Azimio’s decision to pick a woman as deputy president, Gikuru claimed, was an attempt to dupe Kenyans into thinking that the coalition is gender-sensitive.

“Azimio has just picked one woman and placed her at the top then placed all the other men in the cabinet secretary positions, that is hoodwinking Kenyans,” he said, adding: “It is not about individual leaders, it is about the whole lot of them, all women in Kenya.”

“You cannot compare our women's agenda with theirs, they only have Martha Wangari at the top!”