Women in Kitui County have been urged to come out and contest for elective seats alongside men instead of waiting for affirmative action.
The appeal was made by Lydia Mutambu, one of the only three female candidates running for parliamentary seats in Kitui County soon after she was cleared by IEBC to contest.
Mrs. Mutambu who is running for Mwingi Central parliamentary seat on a Jubilee ticket is the only new face in the parliamentary race in an election where women have largely shied away from contesting.
The other two women are Kitui South MP Rachael Nyamai and her Kitui West counterpart Edith Nyenze who are defending their seats on Jubilee and Wiper parties respectively.
Mrs Mutambu is seeking to recapture the seat once held by her husband Joe Mutambu.
She called on fellow women to be proactive in politics, adding that the political terrain was now conducive for women to run competitively against men.
“I want to urge fellow women not to shy away from elective positions. We need to gather the courage and compete alongside men instead of waiting to be given positions on a silver platter,” Mutambu said.
She is seeking to dislodge incumbent MP Gideon Mulyungi who is defending the seat on a Wiper ticket.
The MP was also cleared yesterday by IEBC in a race that has attracted only four candidates.
Mrs Mutambu said the choice of Martha Karua as Raila Odinga’s running mate was a signal that women of the country had come of age and would not be left behind in political decisions.
She said Karua had given the women of the country confidence that they can also achieve their political ambitions.
She expressed optimism that the Azimio coalition will form the next government and grow the country’s economy.
