ISSUE 075 January 16-31, 2013
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
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January 16-31, 2013
ISSUE 075
A bimonthly newspaper by the Media Diversity Centre, a project of African Woman and Child Feature Service
Fear of violence remain real Threat of intimidation scaring women aspirants in Kisumu By OLOO JANAK Women who are vying for various political seats in Kisumu County, particularly within Kisumu City and its environs are worried by the spectre of violence and insecurity that has reared its ugly head in the lakeside city since last year. The last quarter of 2012 was particularly worrying after two groups — “American Marines” and “China Squad” — repeatedly clashed in the city leading to the destruction of property and deaths. The killing in broad daylight of a Kisumu politician and businessman Shem Onyango Kwega by gunmen sent cold chills in the spines of many people including local politicians and the business community. There have also been attacks and killings of people who are not politicians including professionals and ordinary people in what has generally been viewed as an upsurge of violence and security in a town where ordinarily one felt very safe from criminal gangs. The situation has particularly been worrying to women candidates as the two groups veered towards different political groupings at the national level. While some local stakeholders have dismissed the reported political alignments, others have claimed that “China Squad” was increasingly leaning towards The National Alliance Party, now with United Republic Party (URP) in the Jubilee Coalition.
Superiority
The “American Marines”, believed to be the more dominant and claiming more superiority and operating from around the main Kisumu Bus Park, has largely been seen as pro-Orange Democratic Movement now part of the Coalition for Restoration of Democracy along with Wiper Democratic Movement and Ford Kenya, as well as several other smaller parties. There are those who are arguing that political campaign period is normally “a season of harvest” and many of the mostly jobless youth in the town swing from one political group to another or “sell their services to the highest bidder”. It is known there are many other smaller groups and all of them have
been active in this charged political campaign period, increasingly aligning to different political camps and individual contestants. This makes an explosive mix, sparking fears of possible violence. “Of course the possibility of violence looms large in Kisumu but it transcends any gender considerations and it may not necessarily be only women aspirants who may be targeted,” says Betty Okero, Coordinator of
Civil Society Organisation Network, a governance organisation that has been involved in conflict mitigation in the area. However, women who have experienced violence whether physical or psychological still have their fears. Risper Akinyi, an aspirant for Kisumu West Constituency on Narc ticket says she and other women have so far only been subjected to verbal violence and insults from rowdy youths and
Youths demonstrating against the rise of militia gangs in Kisumu. This has led to insecurity and women are the most affected. Pictures: Oloo Janak drunkards most of who demand handouts. She notes that so far none of them has suffered physical attack. “But as we go round campaigning, we feel the threat of violence is real, particularly in the city centre. So as women, we are also forced to surround ourselves with youths in case we are at-
“But as we go round campaigning, we feel the threat of violence is real, particularly in the city centre. So as women, we are also forced to surround ourselves with youths in case we are attacked.” — Risper Akinyi
tacked,” explains Akinyi. Her sentiments are echoed by Farida Salim, an aspirant Kisumu Town Central Constituency who says the fear of violence is real. “But so far we have not been attacked physically although we fear that male candidates could easily hire goons to disrupt the nominations and actual campaigns,” observes Salim. Quite a number of women have come out to contest seats in Kisumu this time round despite the fears, emboldened by the new constitution and growing tolerance of women leaders in Kisumu and Nyanza Province in general. Kisumu and Nyanza produced the first ever African Woman mayor in post-independent Kenya, Grace Onyango, fondly referred to as “Nyar Bungu” and she later became the first Continued on page 4
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