A group of Maendeleo ya Wanawake members in Kisumu County on Tuesday protested against the organisation’s county leadership, accusing officials of mismanaging assets and failing to safeguard property intended to benefit women.
The members, drawn from the county’s seven sub-counties, marched through Kisumu town and declared they had lost confidence in county chairperson Caren Oloo.
Led by Jamila Ismail, the protesters questioned the ownership of a parcel of land near the Kisumu bus stage, claiming the title deed was registered in the names of individuals instead of Maendeleo ya Wanawake.
“We have seen properties belonging to Maendeleo ya Wanawake branches in other counties registered under the organisation’s name. Here in Kisumu, the title bears names of individuals, and that is something we cannot accept,” Ismail told journalists.
The members said the arrangement exposed the property to the risk of loss and called for the title deed to be transferred to the organisation.
According to the protesters, the land is among the most valuable assets owned by women in the county and should be preserved for future generations.
Veronica Ondiso said members feared the organisation could lose the property if urgent action was not taken.
“This land was meant to benefit women. If we do not secure it with proper documentation, it could disappear and future generations will blame us for failing to protect it,” she said.
The members also demanded answers over the whereabouts of sewing machines allegedly acquired to support women through vocational training programmes.
Jane Adhiambo, from Nyando sub-county, said the machines were intended to help women gain tailoring skills and improve their livelihoods.
“The sewing machines were meant to empower women and help them earn a living. Today, nobody seems to know where they are, and members deserve answers,” she said.
The protesters accused the current leadership of lacking accountability and failing to address members’ concerns.
The members endorsed Pauline Akwacha as their preferred leader, saying they wanted stronger leadership to protect the organisation’s assets and improve governance.
The protest comes amid growing internal disagreements within the women’s organisation over management and governance issues.
In previous remarks, Oloo denied any wrongdoing and said the issue surrounding the title deed was beyond her control.
The members said they had petitioned the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the ownership of the land and establish the whereabouts of the missing sewing machines.
They said restoring accountability was necessary to rebuild confidence in the organisation.
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