Nairobi — Deputy President William Ruto has pledged to provide all new mothers in the country with free diapers for the first three months after delivery once he is elected to office.
DP Ruto said Friday during the official launch of the Kenya Kwanza Women's charter at the Nyayo Stadium that the proposal will be included in the NHIF cover for all nursing mothers.
"Our proposal as Kenya kwanza is to make a part of the charter to provide pre- and post-natal care to all mothers and children, and mothers will be supplied with diapers for the first three months after birth under the NHIF," he said.
His pledge came after one of the participants at the conference brought up the challenges that women face after childbirth.
The Charter has been designed to cater exclusively to the needs of women in the country and its launch comes amid calls for women empowerment in the field of politics.
He also promised to provide all school going girls with sanitary towels throughout their education, in a bid to reduce dropouts and absenteeism from girls due to lack of female hygiene products. He also noted that it was a step to reduce teenage pregnancies as some girls had to engage in unorthodox means to acquire sanitary pads.
The charter caters for seven key issues with solutions that women will benefit from, among them being economic empowerment, women leadership, education and women, protection of women against sexual and gender-based violence, women's health, women's involvement in their environments, agriculture and ownership of land by women.
DP Ruto indicated that the alliance "will produce the most elected women Governors, setting a record in Kenya."
He pointed out that "The 2022 election is about the economy of the republic of Kenya and its people. The face of this election is a woman, she is called mama mboga."
"Even before the elections, we already have a woman who has been elected as a Woman Rep in Kericho County; she is unopposed," Ruto stated.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance has already announced that if it forms the next government, more women will be appointed to the cabinet and other senior appointive posts.
