NAIROBI, Kenya — Former nominated senator Millicent Omanga has claimed she fell out with President William Ruto over what she described as unfulfilled commitments to women made ahead of the 2022 General Election.
Speaking on Saturday, March 28, Omanga said the President failed to implement key pledges contained in a women’s charter he signed before the polls, including a 50:50 gender balance in government appointments.
“We had a women’s charter, during the charter, I was at the forefront, the current president signed and agreed that it will be 50:50 gender sharing in his government, not even two-thirds,” she said.
She also cited other promises she claimed remain unimplemented, including the provision of free sanitary towels to girls in public schools and free diapers for women delivering in public hospitals.
“He signed again that every girl in public schools would get free sanitary towels, something which we are not seeing now. Another thing is that women delivering in public hospitals would get free diapers. He removed Linda Mama which was there during Uhuru’s time. We came to realise whatever we signed was just for election purposes,” Omanga added.
The remarks come days after Omanga officially joined former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), marking a political shift away from the ruling coalition she previously supported.
Omanga also revealed she declined an appointment to the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Commission board, saying the mandate conflicted with the interests of her supporters.
“I looked at the mandate of that commission, and one of them was to demolish markets and houses next to the riverbank. I looked at the people who voted for me, and 40pc of them live around there. I decided I can’t stand that,” she said.
During her reception at the DCP headquarters earlier in March, Gachagua described Omanga as a leader committed to protecting the livelihoods of Nairobi residents. He said leaders elected under the party would not be compromised after the elections.
“Does Millicent Omanga look like somebody who can be bought? No one elected under the DCP ticket will be bought after the election,” Gachagua said.
Omanga, in her remarks at the event, apologised to Nairobi residents for supporting President Ruto during the 2022 campaign, saying she now believes campaign pledges were not honoured.
“I am asking for your forgiveness for thinking that the UDA wheelbarrow was going somewhere, but I was wrong. He lied to all of us,” she stated.
