Activists are complaining that the Kajo-Keji county legislative council is operating without any woman representatives.
The 35 men councillors who were elected since 2014 are conducting council sittings without “women’s voice” for the last two years, activists said.
Kajo-Keji Women’s Association chairperson Poni Silvia expressed sadness on women exclusion in the council. She noted that women in the county are undermined when only men sit on the governing council.
“We as women of Kajo-Keji don’t feel good when we are not represented in the council. In Kajo-keji also women are not heading any position in the department, but we are really capable to do what men can do,” she said.
Silvia said the reason for the lack of women on the council could be a feeling among citizens that women cannot perform if elected, but noted women are interested in being represented and have the energy to do the council’s work.
County legislative chairperson Woliyan Patrick claimed that women were not voted to represent their communities hence affecting their representation in the local council.
“There is no woman in the council because when we came to office we mysteriously found out that there was no woman because we came to the office through democratic elections,” he said.
“We did not know which boma have elected a woman or a man. I even guessed that the former councilpeople did not see the importance of the council so women opted not to be part of the council and therefore if we talk about issues of women then there is a big challenge.”