Gender representation debate ignites over ODM cabinet selections

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga. [Washington Onyango,Standard]

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga says the new Cabinet Secretary appointments from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has excluded women from the positions.

Odinga says there are a number of strong women in the Orange Women Democrats who could take up some of the positions.

In the Wednesday appointments, President William Ruto nominated ODM party leaders in the broad-based government.

They included, John Mbadi, National Treasury, Wycliffe Oparanya, Cooperatives, Hassan Joho, Mining and Opiyo Wandayi, Energy.

Odinga says she does not agree with the lists of the nominees from the ODM party and is rooting for dialogue to iron out the grievances pushed by Gen Z.

"Why is there no woman in that list from the ODM party, we have competent women who can perform," she said.

Speaking in Nyakach on Wednesday when she launched the distribution of sanitary pads to all primary schools in the county, Odinga says the dialogue should incorporate everything affecting Kenyans.

"We should come to the dialogue table to incorporate everything so that we can be able to clear out all the injustices in the country," she said.

She however says the President has the prerogative to nominate to his Cabinet whoever he wishes for.

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga during distribution of sanitary pads in Nyakach.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Nyaori Nyang, a member of Kisumu Bunge Network, however hailed the president for picking brains from the ODM party to help him run the government.

He says Kenya is made up of several ethics groups and it is a plus for President Ruto to broaden his cabinet in terms of ethnicity composition.

"I laud the President for the nominations of the ODM party members into his cabinet," he said.

He noted that the nominees are people of competence and corrupt free individuals, whose past work speaks volumes.

Nyaori however castigated Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka for remarking that Raila Odinga should not sanitize the corrupt government of President Ruto.

"It is still fresh in our minds, how he, Kalonzo, satisfied the administration of former President Mwai Kibaki having been defeated by Raila," he said.