Kenyans on Twitter, popularly known as KOT, are having a field day with a Fox News’ Outnumbered Show co-host, Emily Compagno, who claimed pregnant women are not allowed to leave the house in Kenya.
Compagno was contributing to the discussion in the Fox News pseudo-satirical show in response to a Tweet by singer Katy Perry, who said, “women in the US have fewer rights than an actual sparkler.”
Compagno, on July 5 show, failed in an attempt to make it appear as if pregnant Kenyan women had less freedom than American women.
😳 @FoxNews!
What is this? What is @EmilyCompagno saying? That in Kenya pregnant women can’t leave the house so they have no right to vote? What does she imagine our country is like? That statement is incorrect, misleading, condescending and should be withdrawn. pic.twitter.com/nHAoj9puZK— Pauline Njoroge, HSC (@paulinenjoroge) July 6, 2022
“What about in Kenya, where pregnant women can’t leave the house, so they absolutely have no constructive right to vote,” Compagno said, feigning international women’s rights expertise.
She was wrong.
Pregnant women enjoy every right other Kenyans have without any restrictions. In fact, Kenya’s voter turnout is one of the highest in the world, with more than 70 percent of registered voters participating in every election, a streak broken in the 2017 repeat election when the opposition boycotted the vote charging it wouldn’t be free and fair.
It’s unclear where Compagno gained her information, but a simple Google search of Kenyan women would have revealed that Kenya is one of the few nations worldwide that has taken giant steps toward gender equality, which extends equally to pregnant women, a revered population in Kenya.
“What about in Kenya, where pregnant women can’t leave the house, so they absolutely have no constructive right to vote,” Emily Compagno-Fox News Co-Host
Over the years, Kenya has enacted strict laws against domestic violence, sexual offenses, and affirmative action that helps women to compete for government contracts. Kenya’s 2006 Sexual Offenses Act is considered one of the most progressive in the world, placing no statutes of limitation on when a victim can file a complaint against their attacker.
The 2010 Kenyan constitution has also made it possible for women to have 33 percent in elective and appointed government positions in what is known as a two-third gender rule. The rule requires political parties and government agencies to ensure one gender does not occupy more than two-thirds of the majority.
While the two-third principle has not yet fully materialized, Kenya has made strides with women occupying key leadership positions. For example, Martha Koome, a woman, is now the Chief Justice of Kenya’s Supreme Court. Justice Philomena Mwilu, another woman, deputizes Koome. Out of the 7 justices on the Kenyan bench, 3 are women.
In 2017, 6 women comfortably won their gubernatorial and senatorial contests making history in Kenya. And after the impeachment of former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko over corruption and abuse of office charges, Ann Kananu replaced him at 41, becoming the first woman to hold Nairobi Governor’s office.
At the moment, Martha Karua is Azimio la Umoja, a leading ticket with a realistic chance of winning the upcoming presidential election. If elected, Karua would become the first Kenyan woman to hold the position of deputy president and one of the few women in the world to serve in such a position after less than 60 years of independence.
Kenya is the home of towering women like the late Nobel Prize Winner prof. Wangare Maathai, and world-class athletes like Catherine Ndereba, and actress Lupita Nyongo, who have not only thrived in Kenya, but are global role models.
While Kenya, like many countries worldwide, continues to struggle with ensuring gender equity, Kenyan laws have empowered women, and any restrictions on women’s rights can be attributed to hard-to-change traditional attitudes of a paternalistic society.
Campagno’s statement is another example of a negative stereotype of Africans in the American media. In 2015, a CNN International news segment characterized Kenya as a “hotbed of terror” ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit.
“Emily, in Kenya, pregnant women and women with kids are given priority in voting. Election day is a public holiday, and women have access to reproductive health care services. Also, the government doesn’t force raped girls to carry a pregnancy to term, and we don’t shoot kids at school,” @MwendeFrey said.
REACTION ON TWITTER
Kenyans have reacted with a mix of shock, anger, and amusement at Compagno’s ignorance.
Media influencer Pauline Njoroge demanded Compagno withdraw her statement.
“What is @EmilyCompagno saying? That in Kenya, pregnant women can’t leave the house, so they have no right to vote? What does she imagine our country is like? That statement is incorrect, misleading, condescending, and should be withdrawn,” Njoroge said on her popular Twitter page.
User @mwendefrey took the education path.
“Emily, in Kenya, pregnant women and women with kids are given priority in voting. Election day is a public holiday, and women have access to reproductive health care services. Also, the government doesn’t force raped girls to carry a pregnancy to term, and we don’t shoot kids at school,” Mwende said.
Nairobi Member of the National Assembly Esther Passaris called for Compagno to retract her statement.
“@EmilyCompagno Pregnant women in Kenya are allowed to leave the house. Pregnant women in Kenya can vote. Pregnant women get priority on voting lines. Pregnant women give birth free of charge under the government #lindamama program,” Passaris tweeted.
“I can’t wait for @Trevornoah @TheDailyShow to roast her,” Becky Kadu tweeted.
Kitui woman governor Charity Ngilu had a hilarious response.
“Wait, what? In Kenya, pregnant women can’t leave the house? Emily Compagno probably (should) start by locating Kenya on the map first, maybe?” Ngilu tweeted.
Despite the firestorm, The Daily Beast reports that Compagno has refused to apologize or retract her statement. Instead, she’s citing two unidentified websites as her source of information.
Knowing Fox News, Kenyans should not hold their breath waiting for a retraction or an apology.