A veteran political and women rights activist in Kakamega County Florence Machayo has challenged the womenfolk in the western region to compete for elective posts.
The 83-year-old said it is upon women to prove their worth by vying for senior positions in the county and national government.
“They should not only go for positions provided for them in the constitution but rather compete for all the seats as they have the numerical advantage,” she told this reporter in an interview on Monday.
She vied for the Lugari parliamentary seat in 1997 on the Social Democratic Party ticket and came third after Cyrus Jirongo of KANU and Simon Washiko of Ford Kenya.
Machayo, who has hanged her boots due to age, is encouraging young women to take the centre stage in the socio-economic and political arena of the nation.
She cited Priscilla Abwao and Julia Ojiambo among the charismatic and exemplary women who managed to get elected to parliament several decades ago.
“I would like to see more women Members of County Assembly, Members of Parliament, Senators and Governors,” she said.
By Sammy Mwibanda
