Musician Nadia Mukami has criticized female lawmakers for oversharing about their personal lives rather than focusing on uplifting the girl child and women in Kenya.
While speaking at the Citizen Assembly, a call made by several organisations on Friday, July 12, 2024, Nadia called for a shift in priorities to the leaders highlighting the importance of using their positions effectively for the betterment of society.
Mukami revealed that social media had made contemporary times much easier and as a result, the youth were advocating for accountable governance through the platforms available.
“We want accountable governance, we have to hold each and every person accountable…Kila mtu…na to the ladies maybe wenye wamechaguliwa ama they have been given a position, wasiende kutuiabisha,” Nadia noted.
Nadia vs Karen Nyamu
Further, Nadia threw a stray bullet at Senator Karen Nyamu noting that she shared excessive details about her personal life instead of channelling her efforts towards meaningful initiatives that bring about positive change in society.
“We have seen the likes of Karen Nyamu, more of a socialite than a leader…It is a stray bullet but it is the truth,” Nadia remarked.
Watch the livestream of the #CitizensAssembly. We call for accountability, transparency, and good governance in Kenya https://t.co/78CEYc3HsZ
— Amnesty Kenya (@AmnestyKenya) July 12, 2024
In addition, Nadia emphasized that there were higher-profile women who deserved the positions more than the current nominees.
“There are many women who are deserving women, who are intellectual, who are smart, we do not need to know your personal lives,” Nadia noted.
Moreover, the musician pointed out that the struggle for women in government to hold seats had taken a lot of time, and therefore it was offensive for current women in leadership not to advocate for women’s rights.
“What have you done for the girl-child? For the longest time, women have fought, you have been given a position and all we can talk about is your life, she really needs to check herself,” Nadia added.
The citizen assembly
Nadia was among some key speakers who attended the citizen assembly at Ufangano House from 9 am until 2 pm on July 12, 2024. Other members of the panel included LSK council member Steve Mbugua and activist Boniface Mwangi among others.
The event partnered with various stakeholders among them, Amnesty International, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR), Defenders Coalition, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) among others.
The meeting which was highly pushed through social media had their theme as Engagement with the youth on their rights and quest for Justice.