The Kenya Kwanza manifesto was launched on Thursday, June 30, 2022 by Dr. William Ruto who won the presidential election on August 9 General Elections.
In its agenda for women, the Kenya Kwanza manifesto has prioritized healthcare for women and equity opportunities in leadership.
“Participation of women in the key sectors of our economy is minimal, and a vast majority of women remain in low-income jobs or enterprises and endure poor working conditions,” cites the manifesto.
The manifesto has pledged to implement the two-thirds gender rule. It has also pledged to allocate half of all Cabinet positions to women.
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This implies that appointive positions in the public sector will adhere to the two-thirds gender rule while at least 50 per cent of the Cabinet will be made up of women. “The realization of the two-thirds gender rule will be done through the elective and appointive positions in the public sector within 12 months of the election,” the manifesto states.
Further, the manifesto promises to provide financial and capacity building support for women through the ‘Hustler’ fund for women-led co-operative societies, chamas, merry-go-rounds and table banking initiatives, as well as establish a social welfare fund for Kenyan women working abroad as a safety net.
The manifesto proposes to provide free sanitary towels in all schools and public washrooms. The manifesto has also pledged to start a fund that will be aimed at supporting women financially through chamas, saccos and merry-go-rounds, and table-banking groups that are led by women.
This will be done through the establishment of a fund dubbed as the Hustler Fund. “We shall provide financial and capacity building support for women through the Hustler Fund for women-led co-operative societies, chamas, merry-go-rounds and table banking initiatives and protect them from predatory interest rates charged by unscrupulous money lenders,” the manifesto says.
The manifesto has also moved to level the gender playing field in land transactions and inheritance. It commits to put in place administrative measures to ensure 100 per cent enforcement of the spousal consent legal provisions in land transactions to cushion women and children from dispossession of family land.
Other key pledges that the Kenya kwanza manifesto has proposed to Kenyan women include:
- Gender offices and FGM: The manifesto pledges to increase the number of personnel at gender desks at police stations. It has also proposed to increase funding for the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Board and fully implement the Anti FGM law.
- Social welfare: The manifesto has proposed the establishment of a social welfare fund for women working abroad. This will be aimed at providing a safety net for distressed Kenyan citizens working or living abroad.
- Community health workers: The manifesto has proposed the deployment of adequate numbers of skilled community health workers to the communities. These community health workers will be paid a stipend that will be determined through a cost-sharing framework between the National Government and county governments.
- Hygiene: The manifesto pitches that free sanitary towels will be distributed to all schools, and all washrooms located in low-income areas where women are most vulnerable.
- Household economy: The manifesto states that a plan will be formulated and implemented to provide women with clean, safe, environmentally friendly and affordable cooking fuels.