The unspoken rules of the game: Politics when you are a woman
Source: The Nation
What you need to know:
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When we silence women in politics through sexism, we're robbing ourselves of the leadership our nation desperately needs.
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Their courage in the face of this hostility demands not just our admiration, but our immediate action.
Last week as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel interviews played out on our screens, I couldn't help but notice the stark imbalance: eight men, three women shortlisted for the chairperson position.
And like clockwork, the familiar refrain emerged: "How will we ever achieve the two-thirds gender rule if women don't apply?" This question is tiring.
It's not that women lack ambition—it's that they understand the price of it all too well.
When we ask why women aren't applying, we're ignoring the storm they must walk into simply to serve their country. Kawira Mwangaza, the former Meru governor who made history in 2022 becoming the first female governor-elect in the county, didn't just face impeachment last month—she faced a systematic dismantling that sends a chilling message to every woman watching: "This space is not for you." While men in power insist "it wasn't about gender," political aspirants are already admitting they'd now think twice before supporting women candidates.
This calculated exclusion isn't happening in a vacuum. It's a global phenomenon. When Kamala Harris ran for the American presidency last year, we witnessed the predictable playbook: attacks on her appearance and questioning of her qualifications despite her extensive experience. An analysis found over 11,000 news articles with biased language about her in just two weeks. This isn't criticism—it's a coordinated effort to undermine women's legitimacy in leadership.
Read here the full article published by The Nation on 4 April 2025.
Image by The Nation
What you need to know:
-
When we silence women in politics through sexism, we're robbing ourselves of the leadership our nation desperately needs.
-
Their courage in the face of this hostility demands not just our admiration, but our immediate action.
Last week as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel interviews played out on our screens, I couldn't help but notice the stark imbalance: eight men, three women shortlisted for the chairperson position.
And like clockwork, the familiar refrain emerged: "How will we ever achieve the two-thirds gender rule if women don't apply?" This question is tiring.
It's not that women lack ambition—it's that they understand the price of it all too well.
When we ask why women aren't applying, we're ignoring the storm they must walk into simply to serve their country. Kawira Mwangaza, the former Meru governor who made history in 2022 becoming the first female governor-elect in the county, didn't just face impeachment last month—she faced a systematic dismantling that sends a chilling message to every woman watching: "This space is not for you." While men in power insist "it wasn't about gender," political aspirants are already admitting they'd now think twice before supporting women candidates.
This calculated exclusion isn't happening in a vacuum. It's a global phenomenon. When Kamala Harris ran for the American presidency last year, we witnessed the predictable playbook: attacks on her appearance and questioning of her qualifications despite her extensive experience. An analysis found over 11,000 news articles with biased language about her in just two weeks. This isn't criticism—it's a coordinated effort to undermine women's legitimacy in leadership.
Read here the full article published by The Nation on 4 April 2025.
Image by The Nation