CS Launches Democracy Trust Fund for Women Political Campaigns

Youth and Gender Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia on Wednesday launched the Democracy Trust Fund which will provide women who aspire to run for political office funds for their campaigns.

Speaking at the International Hotel, CS Kobia noted that the fund was established to support women aspiring to take up leadership roles.

"The Fund has been established to support women aspiring to be leaders. I commend them for giving the women’s movement the much-needed impetus to accelerate their inclusion in leadership," she stated.

The Group CEO Echo Network Africa and the patron of Democracy Trust Fund, Dr Jennifer Riria stated that many women wanted to vie for political leadership positions but were unable to pay for the processes involved and even party membership.

“Competition in the political scene has spelt challenges for women to lead. There are so many hindrances, yet women are not serviced to take up leadership positions. Most of the women say that there is no even playing ground for women to compete for leadership positions as men,” she conveyed.

Dr Riria added that the fund would provide a platform for women to collaborate when going for the leadership positions.

"Women will participate in building and creating the fund through savings. They know how much they require to vie for political positions. So they will save towards it.

“There is no minimum or maximum amount of savings. It is what one desires, according to the position that they would want to vie for. Those who want to get into the Democracy Trust Fund network can sign up by paying a membership fee of Kshs 5000. Through this, they will own the fund and contribute to its management,” she stated.

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 provides that a third of any leadership positions should be occupied by women. The National Assembly, however, has 75 women in the current 349 members which represents 21.5 per cent.

Earlier in the week, Majority Leader Aden Duale introduced a bill in parliament to increase the number of women in the House.