Trends in Women Participation in Political Affairs in Mandera County, Kenya 1890 -2017
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Date
2022-11
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Politics is central to human interactions. Human beings as social and political animals cannot do without society and politics. In modern liberal democracy representation remains the yard stick for participation in political affairs. Participation of men and women in political affairs has dominated contemporary intellectual debates worldwide in general, and Africa specifically. Concerns have been raised on gender parity in participation in political affairs. Men have an advantage over women when it comes to participating in political issues in patriarchal African societies. Women are underrepresented and are absent in decision making positions which ultimately affects their participation in policy formulation. This picture is replicated in Kenya where men tend to dominate in political representation. Women make up barely 0.03% of elected leaders in Madera County and 9.8% of the total representation in parliament in the country. This situation persists in spite of the promulgation of the Kenya constitution 2010 that aimed at bringing about gender parity in political representation. This study examined the participation of women in political affairs of Mandera County, Kenya from 1890 to 2017. This study was guided by three objectives. The study began by interrogating the nature of gender relations in the Somali society in the pre-colonial and colonial periods. Secondly this study assessed the level of women participation in political affairs in Mandera County between 1963 and 2010. Lastly the extent to which the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution impacted on the participation of women in the political affairs in Mandera County from 2010 to 2017 was evaluated. To achieve its objectives, the study relied on both primary and secondary data collection methods. Stratified purposive sampling and snow balling was used to select 75 respondents. These included women and men voters from Mandera County, women political leaders, leaders from selected women groups and male elders. Collected data was analyzed and interpreted qualitatively. Anchored on the social relations gender theoretical approach this study argued that patriarchy and the social construction of gender in African societies have apportioned men and women in Mandera County sex specific roles. Women have been socialized into the domestic sphere while men to the public sphere, leadership included. This social construction of gender roles it is argued militates against women participation in political affairs in Mandera County.
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A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfilment for the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts (History) Of Kenyatta University, November, 2022
Supervisors;
1. Edwin Atianyi Gimode
2. Isaiah Oduor Otieno