Nominated female MPs used to be politicians’ girlfriends – Duale
Nominated seats have lost their lustre due to the emerging view that they are reserved for girlfriends and mistresses of political party leaders.
This emerged on Tuesday at a meeting in Nairobi to launch a register of 5, 000 women aspirants gunning for seats in the next general elections.
Majority leader Aden Duale, who attended the event, said gone are the days when political party leaders would nominate their girlfriends to the seats.
“Leaders of political parties were appointing their girlfriends,” said Mr Duale.
He said the new constitution had curbed the trend because the law requires people who want to be nominated to apply 45 days to the general election.
NOT HAPPEN
“In 2013, some people were asking why can’t we nominate our people. But we said that should not happen,” said Mr Duale.
Pioneer woman leader Phoebe Asiyo recounted how during her time politicians used to nominate their girlfriends for the seats.
But the claims met resistance from current nominated senators Elizabeth Ongoro and Betreace Elachi, who condemned the stereotyping on nominated women as girlfriends of party leaders.
“Stop this thing of packaging nominated senators, MPs and MCAs as being girlfriends of someone,” said Ms Ong’oro.
Ms Ong’oro said she is not anyone’s girlfriend and that she became a nominated senator after being denied a certificate she claimed she won in the ODM nominations.
Ms Elachi said she had to fight to be nominated as a senator.
