WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN KENYAN POLITICS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The constitution of Kenya promulgated in August 2010 acknowledged the historical marginalization of women in elective and appointive positions by expanding their representation, space and role in governance. This was aimed at creating a country a country anchored on the principles of equality and equity. However, ten years down the line, there is no legislative framework to operationalize the two thirds principle. Bridging the gender inequality gap in Kenya requires much more than a comprehensive legal framework. The first election Kenya held under the new constitution in March 2013 did not result in the required constitutional requirements that would have helped bridge the gender gap that had persisted since independence in 1963. Kenya is a bicameral system of governance. In the 2013 elections no single female Senator or Governor was elected. In the 2017 General elections, the country elected three female Governors and Four female senators. However, in as much as this was an improvement, it did not meet the required constitutional threshold. In the Global Gender Gap Report 2018 Kenya was ranked position 76 globally in closing the gender gap whereas regionally in the East Africa community it still lags behind in bridging the gender gap. Addressing gender marginalization in Kenya requires a holistic approach involving both state and non-state actors for its realization. Efforts geared towards addressing patriarchy domination are essential.