Kenya

Kenyans head to the polls on Monday and the country is cove

The detractors' script reads Martha Karua is a intransigent, tough, hard, mean lady and we saw this in the lead up to the coalition government and she has tried to soften her stand by wearing African prints, by going into studios to perform with rap musicians, by speaking in Kiswahili all

NAIROBI, Jan 25 2013 (IPS) - Few women in Kenya harbour illusions of entering politics.

Women representatives from political parties and civil society in Kenya claim that women should constitute one-third of the committees in the Tenth Parliament to negotiate minimum constitutional reforms.

Four women in Kenya were appointed to the task force on transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. The Minister of Information and Communications said this was in line with the Government's decision to reserve 30 per cent of public appointments to women.

Women play peripheral roles in the local parties and Parliament in Kenya. Whereas the Political Parties Bill to be debated by MPs is not making any steps to encourage the participation of women in the national politics.

More than 300 women aspirants are expected to gather in Nairobi on Saturday to plan how to get to the august House.This is a departure from previous general elections where women have come into the race as underdogs.

President Mwai Kibaki has challenged women to increase their participation in the formal business sector by taking advantage of a Sh5 billion Women Investment Fund he launched Monday.

Any woman who has been through Kenya's healthcare system will not be at all surprised by the findings of a recent report that shows how women's human rights are routinely violated by doctors, nurses and other health professionals.