Kenyan women encouraged to assert their rights

Kenyan women have been encouraged to harness their strengths and resilience to confidently advocate for their constitutional rights, including competing for senior elective positions.

Nark Kenya leader Martha Karua, Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Mbetsa Chibule, and Senior Counsel Lilian Mwaura urged women to uphold their values by doing what is right and resisting any attempts to make them feel inferior or less valuable in society.

While speaking at a Malindi hotel during the launch of Ms Karua’s memoir, ‘Against the Tide,’ the two senior lawyers, who co-founded the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Kenya Chapter, emphasised that, just as women show resilience within their families, they can also excel in public affairs.

Ms Karua, a Senior Counsel, reminded women that God has endowed them with the resilience to manage their families and nurture the leaders of the world. She encouraged them to channel this resilience into public affairs.

“I would like to remind women that they are already resilient since they are running their families. All kinds of leaders, male or female, are brought up by women. Women can therefore use that resilience in public affairs – nation-building and political affairs,” she said.

She added, “You (woman) are already resilient because you are running your home. Move out and also build the nation, and when it comes to elective positions, stand up and vie for it,” she implored.

She encouraged schoolgirls to dedicate themselves to their studies in order to achieve their ambitions and contribute to nation-building in the future.

Ms Chibule told women and girls that they can become anything they aspire to be, but she emphasised the importance of confidence, good character, and fearlessness for success.

Senior Counsel Lilian Mwaura described Ms Karua’s book as incredibly inspiring, highlighting that Ms Karua has fought for the advancement of women in the country for the past 40 years after recognising that women were being marginalised due to a lack of knowledge about their legal rights.

“That is why, together with my friend Martha, we formed FIDA (Kenya Chapter), which has helped many women,” she said.

“For me, I have been an advocate for gender equality, and when I see someone like the Kilifi Deputy Governor as a female, I feel proud. I see what I fought for has borne fruit,” she said.

In her memoir, Karua recounts her inspiring journey from a small village in Kirinyaga to the upper echelons of power in Kenya. The book provides a detailed exploration of her unwavering commitment to social justice, her battles against corruption, and her outspoken resistance to political injustices.

It highlights Karua’s steadfast dedication to upholding the rule of law, respecting human rights, and fighting corruption.

Additionally, the memoir reveals her personal challenges and triumphs, offering readers a glimpse into the perseverance, integrity, and courage that have defined her career.