In the attemot to emancipate women

1. WOMEN IN POLITICS.
CABINET.
TABUT VICTORIA.
AD100174.

2. Definition.
Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
• 152. (1) The Cabinet consists of—
(a) the President;
(b) the Deputy President;
(c) the Attorney-General;
(d) not fewer than fourteen and not more than
twenty-two Cabinet Secretaries.

3. Right of equality in participation.
• An equitable society puts value and worth to each
human being’s contribution to the development and
wellbeing of society at all levels (UNDP 2000:120).
• Women the world over have generally been
underrepresented in decision making positions, and in
cases where they are present they are relegated to
peripheral positions.
• Despite the existence of various international, regional
and national obligations to deal with gender balance
and equality, women continue to be side-lined in
decision making spheres.

4. International recognition.
• Articles 2 and 21 of the 1948 Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
• The International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights (ICCPR)
• Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
• The Millennium Developmental Goals (MDG’s)
and the UN Security Council Resolution 1324

5. Regional recognition.
• African Union in the African Charter on
Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981).
• The 2003 adopted Protocol to the African
Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the
Rights of Women in Africa (the African
Women’s Protocol) of Maputo.

6. National obligation.
• Constitution of Kenya, 2010:
27.(3) Women and men have the right to equal
treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in
political, economic, cultural and social spheres.
56. The State shall put in place affirmative action
programmes designed to ensure that minorities and
marginalized groups—
(a) participate and are represented in governance and
other spheres of life;
81.(b) not more than two-thirds of the members of
elective public bodies shall be of the same gender;

7. a) Presidents.
Head of State Khertek Anchimaa-
Toka, People's Republic of Tannu
Tuva
As Chairperson of the Presidium of the
Parliament, the Little Hüral, Khertek
Amyrbitovna was the Head of the state
which became Independent in 1921, a
People's Republic in 1926, was
incorporated into the Soviet Union in
1944.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Liberian President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf is the world's first elected
black female president and Africa's
first elected female head of state,
in 2006.

8. Cont…

9. Cont…
• Since independence, Kenya has had only four
presidential reigns, none of which is a woman.
• Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was in power from 1964-
1978, when he died.

10. Cont…
• President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi was in
power from 1978-2002, when he was
constitutionally barred from running for office.

11. Cont…
• Stanley Emilio Mwai Kibaki was in power for
one term from 2002-2013.

12. Cont…
• Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is the current
president of Kenya since 2013.

13. Presidential elections.
1997 was the first time women ran for
presidency.
Charity Kaluki Ngilu.
• Came 5th after Daniel Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Raila
Odinga and Kijana Wamalwa respectively.
• Ran under Social democratic party.

14. Cont…
Wangari Maathai.
• Came in 13th out of the 15
candidates.
• Was the only other woman to run
aside from Ngilu in 1997.
• Ran under Labour Party of Kenya.

15. Cont…
• In the subsequent elections of 2002 there
were no female presidential candidates.
• In the 2007 elections, Nazlin Omar ran for
presidency in the much contested elections.
• She came 6th out of 9 candidates.

16. Cont…
• In the 2013 General elections, Martha Karua
endorsed her candidacy and came in 6th out of
8 candidates.

17. Cont…
• In USA, there have been 44 female
presidential candidates in total.
• In 1872, Victoria Woodhull was the first
female presidential candidate.
• In Africa, there earliest female presidential
candidates appeared in the 90s.

19. b) Deputy presidents.
• This office was formerly known as the office of
vice president and minister of home affairs in
the previous Constitution.
• William Samoei Ruto is the first deputy
president under the current Constitution.
• All former occupants of this office were male.

21. Cont…
1. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
2. Joseph Murumbi
3. Daniel Torotich Arap Moi
4. Emilio Mwai Kibaki
5. Josphat Karanja
6. Prof. George Saitoti
7. Musalia Mudavadi
8. Kijana Wamalwa
9. Moody Awori
10. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka
11. William Samoei Ruto - Current.

22. Cont…
1954-75 Vice-Chairman Song
Qingling, China
One of two deputies of Chairman Mao.
She afterwards became acting
Chairperson of the presidium of the
National People’s Congress and thereby
acting Head of State 1968-72 and
perhaps 1976-78. From 1945-54 she vas
Vice-Chairperson of the Council of
Ministers.
1975-76 Deputy Head of State,
Premier Minister Élisabeth
Domitién, Central African Republic
Acted as President on occasions when
President Bokassa was abroad. She
lived (1926-?97).

23. Attorney General.
Sir charles Njonjo

24. Cont…
1. Sir Charles Njonjo (1963-1979.)
2. James Karugu (1980-1981.)
3. Joseph Kamere (1981-1983)
4. Mathew Guy Muli (1983-1991.)
5. Amos Wako (1991-2011.)
6. Githu Muigai (2011-present.)

25. Cont…
• Janet Wood Reno (the first female AG) served as
the attorney general of the United States, from
1993 to 2001.
• Loretta Lynch was sworn in as the new U.S.
attorney general in 2015. Lynch, the country's
first African-American woman to serve in the
role, had her nomination held up more than five
months over politicking in the Senate.
• Prior to the ICC, Fatuo Bensouda was attorney
General for Gambia.

27. Cabinet secretaries.
• Were previously known as cabinet ministers.
• Their appointed rested on the discretion of
the president and was politically motivated
and often bred sycophancy.
• Many appointments were male due to;
Male dominance in politics.
Patriarchal system of governance.

28. Cont…
• The first regime of African governance in
Kenya had no female members of cabinet.

29. Grace Ogot.
• The first woman to be appointed to cabinet in Kenya
was Grace Ogot as assistant minister of culture and
social services in 1983.
• She was wife to reknown academician
prof. Bethwell Allan Ogot; and was
a literature giant.
• She was shunned by radical feminists
when she refused to touch Harambee
stars players before a game saying it was ill
luck to touch a woman before embarking on a task,
and would only sit after men had.

30. Nyiva Mwendwa.
• Nyiva Mwendwa was the first female minister
in Kenya for culture and social services in
1992.
• She was wife of former chief justice
and political veteran Kitili Mwendwa.
• She sparked controversy in 1995
when she took her hairdresser to a
delegation conference in China.

31. Currently…

32. Cont…
1. Raychelle Omamo-defence.
2. Phyllis Kandie-EAC affairs, commerce and
tourism.
3. Anne Waiguru-devolution and planning.
4. Judy Wakhungu-environment, water and
natural resources.
5. Amina Mohamed-foreign affairs.
6. Charity Ngilu-lands, housing and urban
development.

33. Cont…
• The first female cabinet minister in
contemporary times was Aleksandra
Michailovna Kollnta from Russia in 1917 for
people’s commission of social service.
• The South African president, Jacob Zuma,
appointed the country's first openly gay
cabinet minister in 2014, Lynne Brown
becomes the public enterprises minister in
cabinet.
Lynne Brown.

34. Challenges associated with women in
cabinet.

35. Social issues.
• Stereotypes.
Stems from culture, religion etc.
Very evident in patriachal
societies i.e the Maasai and
Islamic states and also individual
even those that are enlightened
and exposed.
It is also is slowly being shunned
by society.

36. Cont…
• Few social networks.
An example is seen in sphere such as clubs
and universities where men are the leaders.
These spheres normally produce
opportunities for recognition and
advancement and are primarily afforded to
men.

37. Cont…
• Scrutiny.
It is as though they are there ceremonious or
are expected to fail.
Nyiva Mwendwa in 1995 for taking her
hairdresser to a delegation meeting in China,
or the rumours surrounding Anne Waiguru.
Victoria Woodhull whose ‘open marriage’ was
a cause of controversy.

38. Cont…
• Underepresentation.
 Despite the legal provisions, women are still
undervalued in politics. Various international and
regional instruments are rarely adhered to especially in
countries in South Africa such as Zimbabwe.
 Many national instruments such as the Constitution is
what is used to implement such provision. Still, it is not
enough to only adhere to these obligations because
there are vast experience women in say, Kenya, to
occupy more than just the stipulated six seats.

39. Vs.
• Aping the man.
Women tend to utilize men’s method of
leadership due to;
Connotation of female species as weak.
Advancement of gender based attitudes such as
participatory leadership is seen as a hindrance to
development.
Sarah palin, was controversial for refusing to
disregard her femininity in favour of more
masculine roles associated with politics.
Margaret
Thatcher.
Sarah Palin.

40. Cont…
• Associations and privileges.
Most female leaders are from privileged
backgrounds or have political associations and
are likely not to relate to other marginalized
groups.

41. Cont…
• Lack of unity.
Lack of unity because all women are
competitors as they are vying for the same
limited resources.

42. Political issues.
• Trustees of positions.

43. Cont…
Top positions which were the stepping stone
to national leadership were viewed as
masculine oriented.
Women were often relegated with trustee
tasks such assistant ministers like Wangari
Maathai was appointed as Assistant minister
of Environment and natural resource by the
Kibaki administration in 2002 while a less
qualified Kalonzo Musyoka was minister.

44. Cont…
• Reluctance.

45. Cont…
There is reluctant by women to apply for such
posts or even enter into the political arena. This is
due to the depiction of politics as a dirty game
and the concept of public exposure.
It was historically dangerous to enter into politics
during the KANU regime for fear of political
assassinations, detentions, attacks and exile.
This was completely demoralizing even to men
who were viewed as being politically inclined.
Even in recent times, many women have been
attacked during campaigns.

46. Cont…
• Non-formal methods of address.
They instead relied on the societal view of
them as sex objects, motherhood and tools of
oppression.
Examples are the 1992 mothers of political
prisoners who stripped and went on hunger
strike and the April 2009 coalition comprising
of ten influential women went on a one week
sex strike to withhold ‘conjugal rights.’

47. 3. Economic issue.
• Subjectivity.
Women are subject to male authority so as to
obtain economic resources under certain laws
such as customary laws, Islamic laws and some
marital laws.
As of 2008, in Gabon women needed the
husband’s consent to open an account; and in
Ivory Coast, men can limit the professional life of
the wives.
 This permission connotes subjectivity and
inferiority.

48. Cont…
• Lack of resources.
Lack of economic stability constrains women’s
opportunities to accumulate political finances,
forge alliances and build political networks.

49. Cont…
• Clientelistic politics.
In clientelistic political systems where ‘self-
financing’ is required (such as most African
countries) to show distributive patronage and
demonstrate largesse, women are
disadvantaged.

50. Impact of women in cabinet.

51. Cont…
• Women have a participatory approach in
leadership and engage the public due to social
sensitivity of their nurturing self. This increases
democracy or the illusion of it.
• Studies show that women are more inclined to be
transparent and accountable which is likely to
increase public confidence. This is obviously
subject to exceptions. This is probably influenced
by how closely a female political personality is
scrutinized.

52. Cont…
• Many gender-friendly agendas are commissioned
by women in power especially those that relate
to women rights and child care and this is
reasonably so due to the concept of issue
sensitivity and specific care.
• Women are not necessarily concerned with
issues of legacy creation because being in said
position is usually a testament to a legacy due to
the rare nature of such opportunities. They
therefore focus mainly on the tasks at hand.

53. Cont…
• Women have shifted focus to economic
development as a form of social change. Many
indigenous programmes have been created to
advance this such as the Uwezo fund facilitated
by Waiguru’s ministry.
• There has also been a shift to scientific and
technological advancements because of the
liberal nature of women’s attitude toward social
reforms. Such normally influence economic
situations and standards.

54. Prospects.

55. Cont…
• Women should organize themselves into
active interest groups so as to define priorities
and influence politics as there is strength in
the masses.
• There should be more creative mentoring
programmes for younger women so as to
ensure there is perpetuity of participation and
influence in the political sphere.

56. Cont…
• Critical masses should be employed, where one
woman would promote and facilitate fellow
qualified women into their fields as a form of
positive discrimination. One of the greatest
opposition of this was Margaret Thatcher who
was of the view that women need not be given
handouts.
• However, there is already such discrimination
from the male perspective which locks women
out of opportunities. This will therefore not be
tipping the scale but rather balance it.

58. Conclusion.
• The role of women in cabinet has generally been
discriminated upon despite many legal obligations.
• There has been unequal participation in decision making
and implementation process. This has slowly changed
with current times and especially in Kenya.
• Though, there are still many challenges that women
encounter in this field which may be cured by not just
legal instruments but a change in the stereotypical
mindset of society.
• There are many special contributions of women in this
field not despite of being women but because of it. These
achievements have prospects of being advanced if few
suggestions would be implemented.