[ODM party leader Raila Odinga addresses party women aspirants, March 27, 2017. Photo/rao.co.ke]
In bid to empower women in leadership, the ODM party has set up a Women Candidates Coordination Office (WCCO) to manage all activities geared towards getting women elected.
Party leader Raila Odinga said the offices at the party headquarters would see women get the party's support, as they strive to achieve their political dreams.
Such activities, Raila noted include developing and maintaining a database of women aspirants and acting as a resource center and one stop shop for all information the women aspirants might require.
WCCO would also help in liaising with the party organs and other bodies like the IEBC and security officials to resolve any challenges or issues the women might face. ''As a key member of the National Super Alliance, ODM fully subscribes to the third pillar of the coalition’s principles which is the realization of equality of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and the disadvantaged communities and groups as mandated by the Constitution in Article 2,'' he said in his statement, Monday. ''It is our position that from the NYS scandal, the plundered Youth and Women funds, the twisted form of affirmative action that saw the wealthiest and elite women with connections win tenders meant for their underprivileged counterparts, there is no arena where our society has been as cynical and abusive as in the women’s agenda. We are determined to make amends.'' he added. As part of this determination, Raila noted they had adopted a requirement in Nasa agreement, that all coalition structures and organs fulfill a constitutional requirement on the realisation of equality for women.
''Women are at the center of our agenda for inclusion as opposed to exclusion,'' he noted, when he met ODM women aspirants at the Multi-Media University, Nairobi.