Women have been urged to come out and fight for political positions in the society and told not to sit and wait for appointments or nominations.
In an exclusive interview with West Media, Mihuu ward Member of County Assembly Violet Namaemba Makhanu thanked Mihuu electorates for trusting in her and having considered her for a second term and re-elected her to serve them in the next five years.
She said she will accomplish her projects that she began in her first term and initiate more other projects as she appealed them to support her so that Mihuu ward can make a step in matters development.
Mihuu legislator who was a vegetable vendor then a tailor said she became active in politics in 2010 where she was appointed as ODM Webuye Women League and rose to a rank of National Women ODM Deputy Treasurer.
She performed her duties well and fought for the party which made the ODM party to nominate her in 2013 to represent women interests in the County Assembly of Bungoma.
Being a nominated MCA she used an opportunity to vie for the MCA seat in 2017 which she won beating the sitting MCA by then who was a man.
The Mihuu ward MCA, worked and served her electorates by initiating different projects including opening up of impassable roads in the ward, constructing of water springs and connecting of tapped water, construction of dispensaries with maternity wings, equal allocation of bursaries.
She said she was also present in her area of jurisdiction where she frequently met her people something that made them become their darling.She said her closeness to them and the way she never changed her way of life but lived to suit in different class of people is what made them adore her much.
She emphasised the point that when a woman is elected in any political seat will actually be there for her people where she can’t move away from her home therefore urging Kenyans to embrace women leadership adding that when one compares the regions where women were elected seem to be more developed than those that have their male counterparts, arguing that when a woman leader does her projects she does thorough follow-up in ensuring that everything is done properly not to disappoint her people. This is what Mihuu ward MCA did during her first term in office something she says led to her re-election.
” I have always been there for my people, every morning when you come in my home you will wonder since I do take breakfast with my electorates daily, this is what I am used to and as we take a cup of tea in my home I get to learn new things and they inform me on what am supposed to do, some give complements and others criticize and tell me what am supposed to do.
I always take every comment positive and work on them, and honestly this has really helped me reach where I am now, ” she explained
She also said being a politician and one is a mother, daughter and wife is so challenging citing that at times one can forget about her family if not keen.
“You know politics is so involving, and if you are not careful you can end up forgetting about your family, so it is upon one to balance between the two. Being a politician does not make me a lesser wife or mother,” she stressed. “When I step out of my house I act like Mihuu ward MCA but the moment I get back I am a fully wife and mother, this has also helped me a lot since I receive more support from my family especially my husband who has always been there for me, I sincerely don’t take this for granted,” she boasted
She urged her fellow women politicians not to change their homes or their way of lives when elected but to continue keeping touch with their electorates during the period they are in office.
She also told women not to under rate themselves but come out and jostle for their space and when they see any chance should grab it without hesitant.
“Imagine I was hawking vegetables from one door to the other to fend for my family and from that it was when I got capital and bought a sewing machine and became a tailor, in fact I was the best tailor in the area and look now am the area MCA serving my people for the second term,” she posed
She thanked Kenyans who elected women in different capacities in the last General Elections and urged those who haven’t had women leadership to make a try saying they won’t regret.
She cited some of the challenges women go through during campaigns and urged fellow women to develop a thick skin and keep focus on their mission and stop giving attention to their male counter parts who call them ugly names hence making them lose attention.
“As a woman, succeeding in politics is not that easy, these men you see competing with us call us all sorts of names but to me I give it a deaf ear hence they have never understood why I don’t get concerned with their insults, again finance is another big challenge for us,” she added
On her plans to Mihuu ward in the next five years, Mihuu legislator promised to change the face of the ward by accomplishing the stalled projects and initiating some other new ones for the better of her people.
“I had started projects that I didn’t accomplish in the last financial year but I want to assure my people that I am going to work on them and do more others, this is what made me fight to retain my seat,” she assured.
On why she joined Ford Kenya party in 2022 elections and ditched ODM, she said politics was local and the wave was blowing to FK direction, therefore decided not to be left out but join the winning team that was under Kenya Kwanza.
About her aspirations whether she would vie for a bigger seat in future or not, Hon. Makhanu said she will cross the bridge once there though added that she will listen to the voice of her people if they would want her to move ahead then she will have no objection.
In Bungoma County, out of 45 elected MCAs, 7 are women.