The Role of Women Political Leaders in Post-Conflict Reconstruction: The Case of Kenya, 2007-2018

The overall objective of this study is to examine the role of women political leaders in Minding reconciliation in Kenya from 7007 to 2018. In most conflict situation, and as demonstrated from the Kenyan cases since the advent of multiparty politics, women tend to suffer most. However, women also take a lead role in peace and in societal reconstruction processes. From the literature reviewed, it emerges that women remain underrepresented in reconciliation, institution building and post conflict peace building processes in Kenya. This study relied on two theories; the theory of liberal feminism and peace theory associated with Johan Galtung. Liberal feminism focuses on achieving gender equality through political and legal reform within the framework of liberal democracy. On the other hand the theory of peace asserts that peace is a relation between two or more parties inside a person, a state or nation, a region or civilization, pulling in different directions. Hence, peace is not a properly of one party alone; it involves several parties in a given society. The inclusion and active participation of women is thus considered good for peace. The study used a meted methodology and collected both primary and secondary data using desk research and survey that relied on a detailed questionnaire with both open and closed ended questions. The questionnaires were administered to a purposively selected group of respondents and data analysis was based mixed techniques (qualitative and quantitative) as well as content analysis. Although the findings suggest that women political leaders played an important role in post conflict reconstruction in Kenya, It is apparent that Kenya still has a long way to go in a:far as women's participation in governance is concerned. The study recommends that there has to be legal and political reforms to widen the space in the political arena for women in Kenya.