Challenges to Women’s Participation in Elective Political Leadership; Evidence from Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

Women participation in elective political leadership is gaining traction with many nations seeing women holding political leadership positions in high offices. However, in most African societies, women participation in elective political leadership is still worryingly low. Therefore, this study investigates the challenges faced by women seeking elective political leadership in Meru County, Kenya. The research used a descriptive design, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The study collected data from 341 registered voters and 16 key informants, using structured questionnaires for quantitative and interviews for qualitative data. The study utilized SPSS version 24 for quantitative data analysis to examine challenges related to electoral participation and their impact on women's political leadership, using frequencies and means and regression analysis respectively. Thematic codes were extracted using NVIVO 14 software to identify recurring themes. The study established that sociocultural, political intimidation and economic challenges are most prevalent and significantly affected women's elective leadership aspirations in Meru County. Social cultural challenges had a negative influence on women participation in elective leadership in Meru County (β=-0.405, p<0.001). Similarly, political interference had a negative and significant influence on women participation in elective leadership (β=- 0.319, p<0.001). However, the influence of economic challenges though negative, had no significant effect on women elective leadership participation (β=-0.031, p>0.05). The study reveals that while women in Meru can significantly contribute to the county's development through elective leadership, they face socially constructed challenges, emphasizing the need for political stakeholders to address these issues for full women's inclusion in decision-making.