Women will be at the centre of decision making, DP says
Deputy President William Ruto has promised to prioritise women's issues if he wins the August 9 General Election.
In the Kenya Kwanza manifesto launched on Thursday, June 30, Ruto promised to distribute free sanitary towels, fully implement the two-thirds gender rule, allocate half of his Cabinet to women and promote access to better healthcare for all women.
The alliance said it would place women at the centre of every decision-making process and prioritise them in planning and the execution of decisions.
“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,” reads the manifesto.
Kenya Kwanza said it would provide financial and capacity-building support for women through the Hustler Fund.
In the plan, the fund will fully focus on how this money is distributed to women-led co-operative societies, chamas, merry-go-rounds and table banking initiatives as they are protected from predatory interest rates charged by unscrupulous moneylenders.
To ensure women are fully represented, the alliance said the realisation 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.
Ruto said his government would have 50 per cent Cabinet positions reserved for women.
The alliance also vowed to increase the number of personnel at gender desks at police stations as well as increase funding for the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation board and fully implement the Anti-FGM law.
