Mombasa:Political parties are being urged to ensure that their nomination processes for the 2027 General Election are free, fair, and inclusive, particularly for women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
According to Kenya News Agency, the call was made during an event organized by UK International Development, FIDA-Kenya, and the Electoral Law and Governance Institute for Africa (ELGIA). The engagement brought together representatives from women, youth, and PWD leagues across various political parties to discuss gender-responsive nomination rules.
The discussions aimed to review existing electoral and nomination guidelines to identify provisions that may hinder women’s participation and to promote measures that make nominations more inclusive, ensuring safer political involvement. The forum also addressed measures to prevent and tackle sexual harassment in politics, generating practical recommendations for strengthening gender-responsive nomination processes within political parties.
FIDA-Kenya Executive Director Sophie Kaibiria emphasized the pivotal role political parties play in determining access to political leadership through their internal structures and nomination processes. She highlighted the influence of gender-responsive party rules and practices on women’s political opportunities and competitiveness for elective positions.
Kaibiria expressed concerns over the barriers women face in political processes, such as discriminatory practices, limited access to opportunities and resources, and risks of harassment and violence. She stressed the importance of party nomination processes as they determine who advances to the electoral stage and noted the constitutional principle requiring that no more than two-thirds of members in elective public bodies be of the same gender as crucial for advancing women’s representation.
ELGIA official Christabella Barasa discussed the three-year program supported by the British High Commission, which aims to strengthen accountability and political systems in Kenya. She encouraged political parties to incorporate issue-based politics in their frameworks, moving away from personality-driven or ethnic-based politics.
Participants at the event shared experiences from their party structures and proposed practical improvements for nomination processes. Millicent Odhiambo of the Wiper Patriotic Front highlighted the importance of the engagement, noting that participants could examine nomination laws and promote equity and equality. She called for the involvement of women, youth, and PWDs in decision-making within party structures and urged them to contest elective positions.
Beatrice Gambo, Deputy Leader of the Jubilee Party and a parliamentary aspirant, echoed these sentiments, urging inclusive contestation for elective positions. She vowed to advocate for changes within her party to ensure credible nominations that offer opportunities for women, youth, and PWDs. Gambo stressed that political parties should not become businesses focused on collecting nomination fees without conducting credible processes.
