The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) have vowed to support the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
The team led by Rose Kiru, the Kiambu County KUPPET chairperson and Irene Githenji, the KEWOTA coordinator in the county led teachers at Thika on Women’s Day.
At least 13 aspirants have declared their plan to succeed the fallen lawmaker Francis Waititu who succumbed to brain cancer last in January.
Kiru said history has shown that women in the country have remained in the backyard and even the constitutional clause to implement the one-third gender rule in parliament has failed miserably.
“From long time ago i think it’s because of culture women has been shot from the leadership just because of the culture or other perceptions that people have. But the BBI has come to solve that historical injustice against women.
“Even like in the union (Kuppet) like us you realize that very few women are in possessions of executive secretary chairman or even a treasurer like me. I’m just lucky, I’m just among the few very few. I think in Kenya we have about two you can imagine and yet we are saying education is full of women.” Said the Kuppet leader.
At the same time, the teachers’ lobby groups endorsed the proposed constitutional changes through the building bridges initiative (BBI) saying it offers the best window to bring gender parity in the country’s leadership positions.
“So it’s going to solve that problem at parliament and not only parliament is going to solve that problem with senate, is going to solve that problem at the county level. I think the problem is the perception from society.
“Many times we have looked at women that they cannot read but over time and due to the globalization that has come with the digitalization we have known and we know women can perform same as men.” Kiru said.
Her sentiments were shared by Irene Githenji, the KEWOTA coordinator in the county who said BBI ensures women get equal opportunities and empowered to drive the economy.
“As women, our efforts to enjoy the fruits of all these is almost paying with the Swahili saying ‘Mvumilivu hula mbivu.’ To all women, I challenge you to rise and support this bbi 2021 that will bring equality on the issue of gender. Let us stand to be counted when the right time comes.” She said.
Led by officials of Kuppet and Kewota the group which also comprised of male teachers said the move would be in honour of the role women play in the community and nation-building activities. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) have been on the frontline of these campaigns with union’s Secretary General Wilson Sossion stating that teachers are supporting the BBI report.
