Digital attacks and systemic barriers: The rising threat to women in Kenyan politics

Amwik executive director Queenter Mbori /FILE

The nature of political violence against female aspirants has shifted alarmingly, moving from overt physical harassment to sophisticated, coordinated attacks in the digital space, a new report shows.

The study, conducted by the Association of Media Women in Kenya (Amwik) with support from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, found 46 per cent of women parliamentarians experience sexist attacks.

“While the early battles for women in politics centred on access and resource mobilisation, the landscape has evolved. Today’s challenges are more insidious and complex. These are the new barriers this report documents,” Amwik executive director Queenter Mbori said.

Fifteen years after the 2010 constitution enshrined the two-thirds gender rule, equitable representation remains largely elusive. Women currently hold just 23.9 per cent of parliamentary seats.

“Women’s exclusion from mainstream politics in Kenya has deep historical roots. During the 1963 independence elections, the first in which women could vote, no woman was elected to Parliament," the report states.

"Representation improved gradually, with significant gains only after the 2002 general election, when the National Rainbow Coalition unseated the long-standing Kenya African National Union (Kanu) regime, opening new political space.” 

Titled ‘15 years on: an evaluation of Kenya's women political representation in relation to the two-thirds gender rule’, the research notes that the evolving nature of political violence threatens electoral prospects and the mental wellbeing of women leaders.

In 2013, Kenya had no women senators. In 2017 and 2022, only three women senators were elected each time.

While the introduction of county woman representative seats aimed to promote inclusivity, these roles were not intended to satisfy the constitution’s two-thirds gender requirement.

Across the National Assembly and county assemblies, women remain significantly underrepresented.

Almost 43 per cent of respondents reported that gender was the reason for technology-facilitated harassment.

The study found the anonymity of digital platforms emboldens perpetrators, with 44 per cent of sexist attacks against female MPs attributed to unidentified individuals, according to the African Parliamentary Union.

Male parliamentary colleagues were frequently named as primary perpetrators, turning legislative chambers into hostile work environments.

“Women in professions that challenge entrenched power dynamics, such as politics, are particularly vulnerable to extreme forms of online violence,” the report highlights.

Victims often report diminished visibility, reduced political efficacy and reluctance to maintain a public profile, effectively silencing elected leaders through targeted intimidation.

Yet online harassment is only part of the problem. Political parties, largely controlled by male elites, continue to marginalise women through manipulated nomination processes.

The report details instances where women are steered towards the county woman representative seat rather than encouraged to contest other elective positions.

In some cases, strong female candidates are persuaded to step aside with promises of future nominations—pledges that are not always fulfilled.

Compounding these challenges is a deeply patriarchal political culture that rarely recognises women as legitimate leaders.

The report calls for urgent action ahead of next year's general election.

Key recommendations include the enactment of enforceable legislation with clear implementation frameworks, mandatory gender-equitable practices within political parties, strengthened protections against political violence and public awareness campaigns.

“In light of these findings, Kenya must move from constitutional promise to tangible reality, ensuring its democracy is genuinely inclusive,” the report concludes.