Maraga Vows 50% Women in Government if Elected: “Balanced Leadership Is the Future”

Maraga Vows 50% Women in Government if Elected: “Balanced Leadership Is the Future”

Presidential hopeful and former Chief Justice David Maraga has made a bold promise that’s stirring national conversation. On Wednesday, he pledged that if elected, his government will appoint women to half of all leadership positions.

“Balanced Leadership Is Key” — Maraga Champions Gender Equality

Speaking passionately, Maraga emphasized the need for gender-balanced leadership. He said this would not only fulfill constitutional requirements but also improve service delivery.

“Men excel this way, women excel in other ways. If you put them together, you have a balanced government,” he stated.

He stressed that the Constitution clearly demands no more than two-thirds of one gender in any public institution.

“When we did away with the old constitution, we introduced this new one. Some things were to be implemented quickly,” Maraga explained. “One of those was gender balance. I found no reason why the law hadn’t passed. I recommended the dissolution of Parliament.”

“I Faced Backlash, But I Stood Firm” — Maraga Recalls Bold Move

Maraga recalled the political backlash he faced after recommending Parliament’s dissolution to President Uhuru Kenyatta. Despite the criticism, he stood by his decision.

“I received backlash from politicians, but I knew it was the right thing to do,” he said.

Now, he’s turning that conviction into a campaign promise.

“Every Position Will Be Shared” — Co-Leadership Model Unveiled

Maraga revealed that his party has already adopted a co-leadership model. Every top position will be shared between a man and a woman.

“If it’s the chairperson position, we will have a man and a woman,” he said. “If it’s secretary general, we’ll do the same. It will be a co-leadership government.”

He believes this model will give more leaders a chance to serve and shine.

“Women Excel in Health and Education” — Maraga Highlights Strengths

Maraga praised women’s performance in key sectors like health and education. He argued that given the opportunity, women would lead with excellence.

“Women tend to be more competent in matters of health and education,” he noted. “If given a chance, they will excel.”

He urged Kenyans to embrace inclusive leadership for a stronger, fairer future.

“Ruto Promised the Same” — But Gender Gap Still Exists

Maraga’s promise echoes a similar pledge made by President William Ruto during the 2022 elections. Ruto had vowed to appoint 50% women to his cabinet.

However, when he unveiled his first cabinet on September 27, only 7 of the 22 members were women. Despite several reshuffles, the cabinet remains far from gender-balanced.

“Promises were made. But implementation has lagged,” a political analyst commented.

Now, Maraga is positioning himself as the candidate who will finally deliver on that promise.

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Maraga Vows 50% Women in Government if Elected: “Balanced Leadership Is the Future”