Friday, January 7, 2011

Why were women barred from Uhuru meeting?

By Steve Mkawale
No woman or media personality, regardless of gender was allowed into the meeting of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Kikuyu MPs and prominent businessmen on Wednesday.
It also emerged that this was a discussion forum on the Kibaki Succession, with a bias to who will bear the community’s flag should Uhuru be stopped from running by The Hague-related issues.
The meeting at Uhuru’s father’s Gicheha Farm in Nakuru and attended by prominent members of the community with political, farming and business interests in Rift Valley reportedly discussed issues of mutual interest on politics, economy and security. "We discussed the importance of remaining united as a community and how we can work with the Kalenjin community in the future," revealed an elder from Nakuru.
A Nakuru-based journalist (left) pleads with security guards outside Gicheha Farms to allow her into the meeting room where Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta held discussions with Kikuyu elders. 

Security was tight at the meeting, which was also a no-go zone for women and news crews. All elders who attended went through vetting at the gate before they were allowed in.
Those who turned up are wealthy and influential people from Kitale, Eldoret, Nakuru, Molo, Njoro, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Kericho and other parts of Rift Valley.
Surprise meeting
Most of them were deeply involved in Uhuru’s campaign when he vied for the presidency after former President Moi retired in 2002.
The highly secretive meeting in Nakuru County caught many people by surprise.
Sources familiar with the discussions said the agenda included Uhuru’s presidential bid in 2012, Kalenjin and Kikuyu unity in Rift Valley and the International Criminal Court charges facing Uhuru and Eldoret North MP William Ruto, who is from the Kalenjin community.
"The elders were picked by a Council of Elders, whose members include current and former MPs, most of them business tycoons," said the source.
Top on the agenda was unity among themselves and co-operation with ‘host’ communities in the Rift because they have invested heavily in the region and risk losing property and lives should tribal clashes recur.
It was also argued that they would easily lock out Orange Democratic Movement leader Mr Raila Odinga from Rift Valley if they worked with leaders like Ruto.
Although organisers of the meeting insisted it was meant to discuss the political and economic future of the Kikuyu community in the region, the secrecy around it was baffling.
Eyebrows were raised when it turned out it was out of bounds for women even if they were leaders.
Even female journalists who were assigned to cover the meeting were barred from accessing the venue when Nakuru Town MP Lee Kinyanjui called the media for briefing.
Guards at the main gate told journalists: "We have been instructed this meeting is for elders from the Kikuyu community and no woman is allowed in."
As journalists were arguing with the guards, Uhuru who flew in by helicopter, left shortly after 6pm, without saying a word to the media.
Tradition dictates
An official at the Ministry of Finance who had sent invitations to the media via text messages was equally baffled when informed about this.
Asked why women were locked out of the meeting, an MP who attended the meeting said it was a "men’s affair...This was a meeting for elders and leaders of our community and traditions dictate that women keep off," said the MP who did not wish to be named.
Most of those who attended the meeting and interviewed by The Standard begged not to be named for reasons they would not divulge.
Sources told The Standard the proceedings were conducted in Gikuyu language.
Women wait outside the farm. Journalists and women were denied access despite being invited. [PHOTOs: Boniface Thuku/STANDARD]

"Everyone who stood to address the meeting spoke in Kikuyu," said one of the speakers who did not want to be quoted in the media lest he be branded a traitor.
Lock out Raila
Last year, Uhuru had a similar meeting in Gatundu. An elder revealed the agenda of the meeting was to mandate Uhuru to seek a political alliance with the Kalenjin through Ruto.
"Elders in Rift Valley want the alliance between the two because it will effectively lock out Raila of the region," said the elder.
"It is our feeling that by going for a political alliance with the Kalenjin, our future in the region as a community is guaranteed," another elder who attended and addressed the meeting said.
Seven MPs from Nakuru and Laikipia Counties attended the meeting. They were Mr Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru town), Subukia’s Nelson Gaichuhie, Joseph Kiuna (Molo), John Mututho (Naivasha), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East) and Nderitu Mureithi (Laikipia West). They all spoke at the meeting.
The Kikuyu elders included Samuel Maigwa, former mayor D.K. Kanyi, Joseph Gichuru, and businessmen Boniface Muhia and Peter Njeru. Councillors Zacharia Njeru, David Gikaria and Nakuru County Council Chairman John Murigo were among civic leaders who attended the meeting.
Although the chairman of the Nakuru Kikuyu Council of Elders Mr Samuel Maigwa maintained it was called to discuss the political and economic future of the community, much of what was discussed was their political survival in the region.
Political alliance
"We need to unite and strengthen our relationships with our brothers on the other side (Kalenjins) who have hosted us here," said one of the civic leaders.
"We need numbers ahead of the general election and we can only achieve that through alliances with like-minded people like Ruto (William)," Muthutho was quoted as saying.
On the ICC case, the elders and the leaders unanimously agreed to back Uhuru, who is one of the six suspects listed by Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
Uhuru reportedly said he was ready to form a political alliance with other communities, especially the Kalenjin.
Leaders to take over
He said despite the ICC case he was ready to roll out his presidential campaign for 2012.
"I know I am innocent about the post-election violence but if they (ICC) take me away my campaign for the presidency will not be in vain since I am working with many leaders who can take over," the Finance minister told the elders.
He maintained he was innocent and that the only crime against him was to assist those displaced during the violence.

2 comments:

  1. there are so many vices potrayed in this article about our so called "leders" gender disparity, tribalism,rivalry between leaders yet they should be uniting the country it gets me thinking are they qualified to lead us or should we lose faith in our leaders and eventually the nation.....by a concerned alliance girl student

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  2. so what? get over it, the women need to sit down somewhere

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