Wamae's leadership philosophy challenges traditional gender quota debate

Imarisha Uchumi Party Leader and presidential aspirant Justina Wamae has questioned the effectiveness of gender-based representation in Kenya, arguing that leadership appointments should prioritise intellectual capacity, competence and performance rather than gender.

Wamae says the country should move away from what she describes as an excessive focus on gender quotas and instead assess leaders based on the ideas and solutions they bring to public office.

Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, the presidential aspirant challenged the impact of women who have secured leadership positions through nominations and affirmative action, questioning whether their appointments have translated into meaningful contributions.

“When we started with the 2010 Constitution, the two-thirds gender principle was a very special thing for women. But again, the ones we are seeing getting nominated and getting positions, what has been their impact?” Wamae posed.

“Now my focus as a leader is on the intellect. Irrespective of whether mama or baba, that one is not adding value for us in this particular moment. We want ideas that are based on intellect, which is beyond mama, baba.”

She maintained that both men and women should be evaluated according to their ability to deliver, arguing that gender should not be the primary consideration when distributing leadership responsibilities.

“At this point, if women are not delivering, if men are not delivering, guys, let us focus on the ideas,” she said.

Wamae's position comes amid continued debate over the implementation of the two-thirds gender principle, a constitutional requirement introduced under the 2010 Constitution to address historical inequalities in political representation and public leadership.

Article 27(8) requires the State to take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of members of elective or appointive bodies should be of the same gender. Article 81(b) separately provides that the electoral system must comply with the requirement that no more than two-thirds of members of elective public bodies should be of the same gender.

The provisions were intended to increase women's participation in decision-making and address their historical underrepresentation in Parliament and other public institutions.

However, more than 16 years after the promulgation of the Constitution, Kenya continues to struggle to achieve the required representation, particularly in the National Assembly.

The implementation question has remained contentious, with Parliament repeatedly failing to enact the necessary legislation despite court interventions and constitutional deadlines.

In September 2020, former Chief Justice David Maraga advised then President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve Parliament over its failure to enact legislation implementing the two-thirds gender principle. The recommendation was not implemented, and the constitutional question has continued to feature in national governance discussions.

The representation figures illustrate the challenge. According to the 2025 Economic Survey figures cited in the government's analysis of the principle, women held 82 of the National Assembly's 346 seats, representing 23.7 per cent, while they occupied 21 of the Senate's 67 seats, accounting for 31.3 per cent.

Wamae's own political journey has included occupying a prominent position in the country's presidential politics. In the 2022 General Election, she was the running mate of Roots Party presidential candidate George Wajackoyah, becoming the first woman to serve in that capacity in Kenya's presidential election history.

The Wajackoyah-Wamae ticket garnered 61,969 votes, representing approximately 0.44 per cent of the total presidential votes cast, according to the final results declared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Asked whether her proposed approach would translate into a Cabinet dominated by women, Wamae indicated that she would have no reservations about appointing women to the majority of positions if they demonstrated the necessary intellectual capacity.

She, however, maintained that her position should not be interpreted as a call to disregard the Constitution, insisting that any changes in leadership and representation should operate within the existing legal framework.

Her remarks introduce a merit-based perspective into the ongoing debate over gender representation, raising questions about how political leaders can balance competence-based appointments with constitutional obligations to ensure equitable representation.

As she positions herself for the 2027 presidential election, Wamae's proposal places the question of women's representation alongside the broader debate about the quality, inclusivity, and effectiveness of leadership in Kenya.