MPs failed women by defending Kihika's long absence from work

The recent press address by several female MPs in defence of Governor Susan Kihika who has been away from duty for a considerable period for maternity related issues couldn’t have been more ill-timed.

It was a glaring misstep that set the women’s empowerment movement back by several light years. The MPs completely failed to see how counterproductive their argument was in our quest, as women, to be taken seriously in the professional and leadership space.

A few critical questions come to mind. Who were these legislators speaking for? Were all working women in Kenya covered in their appeal for ‘understanding’ and’ time’ to recover from childbirth? Were the legislators saying it is okay for women to abscond duty for as long as they feel they are not well enough to resume work way after their maternity leave is done? Were the legislators, in actual fact, declaring existing guidelines on maternity leave obsolete and sanctioning women to determine for themselves what they deem enough time to recuperate, or this exemption only applied to a select few?

One of the silent prejudices women of reproductive age have faced in professional spaces is the perception that they will disrupt services and affect delivery due to maternity leave. Many organisations have for long subtly discriminated against women of childbearing age when it comes to employment and promotion opportunities for the same reason. And as women, we put our all to fight those biases.

We lobbied to be allowed in high places and went all out to demonstrate our ability to balance motherhood and work, and proved that we are reliable, adaptable, and capable of delivering excellent results despite the unique challenges of motherhood. As a result, many organisations responded by creating more inclusive policies. Some adopted hybrid working models for new mothers while others allowed them to bring their infants to work. They understood that the wellbeing of their workforce, new mothers included, translated into great results for their organisations. Years of advocacy and proving ourselves ensured that women no longer had to choose between motherhood and career advancement.

That is why it was incredibly disappointing for the female legislators to use motherhood as an excuse to trivialise professional excellence and undermine our hard won credibility.

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Kenya’s Employment Act (2007) is clear about maternity leave. Section 29 gives female employees three months of paid maternity leave. There is no provision for indefinite extended leave without express communication and permission from the employer. What the legislators ought to have done was to use this case to call for a review of labour laws to acknowledge the complexities of childbirth and care for mothers.

Countries and organisations are consistently reviewing their workplace policies to reflect the ever-changing work environment that require new cultures to accommodate present-day parenting. In Kenya, for instance, a decade ago, it was unheard of for men to go on paternity leave. Today, many workplaces offer it, never mind that most men use those days for everything but paternal duties. A review of maternity policies to better support working mothers would have been an easy pass.

Motherhood is a beautiful and powerful experience. It is a superpower that we can use to further showcase our ability to handle our responsibilities just as effectively regardless of our natural calling. It was unfortunate for our legislators to use it as a platform to further enforce the stereotype that dismisses women as unreliable workers and leaders.

It is the responsibility of every woman, and especially those in leadership, to fiercely guard the progress we have achieved through the years. By excelling in our fields and allowing ourselves to be accountable with the responsibilities handed to us, we will be honouring motherhood. Most importantly, when the work/motherhood balance fails, we should be honest enough to graciously take a moment away to care for ourselves. There is no shame in needing more time. But it cannot be at the expense of those we serve.

Motherhood can never, should never, be used as a weapon to undermine women. Certainly, not by women themselves.

Ms Wekesa is development communication consultant. [email protected]