A Kenyan lawmaker, Crystal Asige, has called on Nigerians to rally behind Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in her fight for equity and political space, emphasizing the systemic challenges women face in leadership.
Asige, who is a person living with disability and represents Special Needs groups in the Kenya parliament, highlighted the deep-rooted effects of patriarchy, which have conditioned societies to sideline women while granting men dominant roles in decision-making.
The visually impaired parliamentarian noted that these societal norms have made it difficult for women to fully participate in politics and leadership.
“It’s an issue that is really systemic because of patriarchy and how men have been led to believe that they are the ones who should sit at the head of the table,” she said. “The girls should sit in the kitchen, and the boys should be the ones to participate in day-to-day life.”
Recounting her own experience of harassment, Asige described a late-night incident where a ride-hailing driver attempted to restrain her after realising she was visually impaired. She emphasised that beyond harassment, women also face dismissive attitudes from authorities when they seek justice.
“When I took that to the local police station the next morning, do you know what the officer asked me? He asked me, ‘What did you do to make him do that?’” she said. “So we are not just battling harassment or abuse, but we are also battling the mindsets of the men around us who are the perpetrators of said harassment and abuse.”
Drawing parallels to the struggles of women in Nigerian politics, Asige urged Nigerians to support Senator Natasha in her push for greater representation and fairness.
“I think that the people and the politicians that I see in Nigeria right now trying to fight for more space and more equity, and fight through the harassment that they’re facing—Senator Natasha—should absolutely do it,” she said. “And I think more people should stick behind her, especially because there are merits to the case that she has presented.”
