President William Ruto presided over the launch of the G7 strategy that seeks to empower and support women leaders to enable them run for political offices.
The G7 strategy delves in demonstrating efficient, transformational and strategic governance within the devolved structures in the government. This function comes ahead of the celebrated international women’s day that would happen on March 8.
Part of its strategies is to localize mentorship programmes set up in women led counties to drum support for women nominations in various political spheres.
During the launch, the head of state said he will remain committed to support the two-thirds gender rule and make sure it is implemented. “We will do this not because we want to do anything against men, but we want to balance so that we move together,” he added.
He hailed women for their support since he was a deputy president, saying he receives more support from women than men. “When I ran into political turbulence as deputy president, more women were by my side than men. And that’s a fact” he said.
He further tasked UDA chairperson to formulate new laws that that will require a male presidential candidate to have a female running mate and vice versa.
“When Riggy G (DP Rigathi Gachagua) and myself agree on how things will go in the future we must also agree that going forward if a man is a candidate for president the woman must be a running mate and if a woman is a candidate then a man should be the running mate,” Ruto said. “We must be deliberate and intentional about it otherwise it will never happen.
While emphasizing the importance on gender equality in party politics and leadership roles, he stated that the move was not aimed at diminishing the male efforts in political sphere. Also, the president fought against the female genital mutilation vice saying leads to women not believing in themselves and getting married at an early age and urged men to be the biggest individual in protecting women against the FGM especially in areas that the vice has deep roots.
In attendance were council of governor’s chairperson Ann Waiguru, Susan Kihika governor Nakuru, Wavinya Ndeti Governor Machakos, Fatuma Achani Goveror Kwale and other leaders.
Launch of the Women Governors Caucus G7 Strategy, Nairobi. https://t.co/ucZK9iHOOw
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) March 7, 2024