Women political participation: a case of Bomachoge constituency in Kenya 1963-2013.

Abstract

Women constitute more than half of the world population yet they are marginaIised in political participation globally. Although literature on politics in Africa is growing the vast majority of detailed research is gender blind Existing studies on African women have paid minimal attention to their political participation by focusing on their general domesticity. Existing studies on women's political participation have tended to address national level engagements while the grassroot level has received minimal scholarly attention This work intends to study women political participation in Bomachoge constituency, in Kenya 1963-2013. This study will pay attention to patterns of women's political participation and structural impediments to their participation at a micro level. This study will however be flexible in retrospect to cover periods prior to 1963. Bomachoge for purpose of this study is limited to the current Bomachoge-Borabu and Bomachoge-Chache constituencies formerly referred as Bomachoge constituency. This study will employ Gender and patriarchy as theoretical approaches in the analysis of women's political place in Bomachoge. The two theoretical approaches will be used to complement each other. The study will use qualitative research design that is explorntive, descriptive and interpretive in nature. The study will rely on primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data will be obtained from oral interviews and archival sources. Archival sources will be mainly sourced from the Kenya National Archives in Nairobi. Secondary data will comprise published and non-published works that will be collected from public university libraries,National libraries, and government departments in Kenya. The study target population will be women and men aged 18 years and above as by 2013 General elections in Kenya. The study will employ the use of purposive, snowballing and quota sampling techniques of non-probability sampling design in the selection of informants. The research instnnnents for this study will include the use of questionnaire guide and observation checklist. Data will be collected using a combination of methods entailing content analysis of doctnnents, observation, Focus Group Discussions and narratives in a flexible manner. The collected data will be qualitatively analysed e transcription, data reduction, coding and thematically analysed according to study objectives and respective historic period Summary, conclusion will be given and recommendation made