Wamuchomba Defends Woman Rep Seat, Blasts “Cake Matrons and Dancehall Queens” in Politics
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By John Kariuki
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has reignited debate over the relevance of Kenya’s Woman Representative seat with a bold defense rooted in personal experience—and a scathing critique of what she calls “performative politics” among some of its current occupants.
Wamuchomba, who rose to national prominence through the Woman Rep seat in 2017, reminded critics that the position is a vital stepping stone for women entering Kenya’s male-dominated political landscape.
“I am a beneficiary of the Affirmative Action seat,” she stated. “I did not have much muscle to punch politically. It was my springboard—and by the grace of God, I launched.”
Her remarks come amid renewed calls to scrap the seat, with critics questioning its relevance. But Wamuchomba pushed back hard, arguing that the position has served as a critical launchpad for female leaders who have gone on to win competitive races as MPs, Senators, and Governors.
“In 2022, I defeated men—but that doesn’t make me a man. I am a woman who found favour with voters,” she declared.
Wamuchomba warned, however, that the seat’s value is being diluted by individuals who fail to use it for meaningful legislative and development work. “Don’t elect cake matrons and dancehall queens,” she said, delivering one of the most talked-about political soundbites of the week. “You only affirm positive traits, not dance moves and kitenge fashion.”
She emphasized that affirmative action is not a sideshow but a constitutional gateway to leadership, meant to be used with “intellect, vision, and purpose.”
Her signature hashtag, #WomanForTheJob, encapsulates her message: women deserve seats at the table—not just for visibility, but for real leadership.
Wamuchomba’s comments have sparked a national conversation not just about the future of the Woman Rep seat, but about the kind of leadership Kenya needs—substance over spectacle, delivery over drama.
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