Kenya: Lessons Kenya Can Learn From Zambia’s Election

Zambia’s main opponents in last week’s General Election chose female running mates, a precedential move in the pace to narrowing the gender gap in the continent’s top leadership.

Hakainde Hichilema of United Party for National Development (UPND) settled for Mutale Nalumango while the incumbent President Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front went for Nkandu Phoebe Luo.

With the win of Mr Hichilema, who garnered 2.8 million votes to unseat Mr Lungu, who drew 1.8 million votes, Ms Nalumango automatically becomes the Vice-President elect.

She becomes the second to serve in that capacity after Inonge Mutukwa Wina who has sat on that high ranking position since 2015, under Mr Lungu.

The Vice-President elect, a teacher by profession, moved into politics in 2001 and has served as chairperson of UPND.

Zambia is among model countries in Africa in the fight towards ending gender inequality.

It ranks eighth on this year’s World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report, which analysed the performance of 35 African countries in the areas of economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, as well as political empowerment.

Kenya is placed position 16.

Commands respect

Zambia’s election precedes Kenya’s and it’s a matter of wait-and-see if the male presidential contenders will choose a female running mate. Kenya has never had a female second-in-command although it prides in having a woman head one arm of government.

Martha Koome, as Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court commands the respect of either heads of Executive and Legislature.

A proposal in the court – challenged Constitutional of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to have governors nominate candidates of opposite gender, last year, ruffled incumbent male governors the wrong way. They claimed the proposal was unfair and dictatorial in nature.

There’s, however, hope of an increased number of women taking up the counties top jobs as at least 17, some of whom have tested the rough waters of political campaigns, have shown interest.