Wamuchomba Complains About Ruto Snubbing Her Based On Gender
Wamuchomba had hosted Ruto and Gachagua at the event, days after she voted against the Finance Bill 2023.
Marvin Chege 
Githunguri Member of Parliament (MP) Gathoni Wamuchomba on Wednesday, June 21 claimed that President William Ruto's government had sidelined women leaders on purpose.
In a statement, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) lawmaker revealed that she was barred from walking with President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during the Githunguri Dairy Cooperative Society field day on Saturday, June 17.
She went on to claim that she was even barred from taking photos alongside the Head of State and his entourage despite being the host.
President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba (circled in red) posing for a photo in Githunguri on June 17, 2023. /TWITTER.GATHONI WAMUCHOMBA
“The male shadow in politics in Kenya is growing thicker! I can't breathe in my own constituency as an Elected woman MP, not even the Women Representative can appear in an official presidential visit,” Wamuchomba stated.
She added, “President, Deputy President, Majority leader, and Male MPs visited my constituency for a political meeting and I was not allowed to walk with them or take a photo. I was denied to even enter the briefing room. Misogyny is real.”
Wamuchomba had hosted Ruto and Gachagua at the event, days after she voted against the Finance Bill 2023.
At the event, Ruto criticised Wamuchomba for shooting down the bill, arguing that she was damaging the opportunity to create jobs and decent housing for thousands of Kenyans.
"These citizens helped you to get a job but you don't want a cut of your salary to fund the housing project. All MPs including those in opposition who voted against the Bill are insincere. Let's stop petty politics from few who are against the move," Ruto stated then.
The legislator recently made headlines over her defence of Kenyan journalists, despite criticising them less than a month after the 2022 general elections.
On Monday, June 19, she urged the political class to respect the press, following threats by Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria to fire government officials who advertise with the Nation Media Group (NMG).
"Freedom of the Press is one of the Fundamental principles of Governance achieved through the second liberation of the Country. We are only to blame if we cannot uphold what our forefathers painfully fought for.
"We must for whatever price defend the constitution of Kenya and ensure that the independence of parliament and freedom of the press is NOT eroded to favour individuals," stated the UDA legislator.
She further called for the safety of journalists and their freedom to express themselves in the current society.
"As a trained Journalist, I respect the principle of Fair play and thus Right to Reply must not be demanded through coercion and threats. Journalists must be safe and free to Express in modern society in their role in Agenda setting and Gatekeeping," she added.
This is notably a change of tune from her stance against the media, which she had on September 2, 2022, accused it of biased reporting during the August 9 general elections.
"The Kenyan Media has totally lost it, especially during the just concluded elections. We saw their outright bias-reported stories, airtime allocation to various presidential candidates, and biased editorials.
"Without a blink, they flashed fake opinion polls and created sensational headlines. I stopped reading newspapers and watching and listening to the news. Thank God there is a variety of news on social media," she wrote on her Facebook page at the time.
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