Media Focus on Africa has opened the application process for a leadership TV reality show “‘Ms. President’” a series which will inspire women and girls to become key players in leadership in all spheres of life. The TV show will also aim to change the attitude of Kenyans towards women and leadership.
The applications opened on the 5th June 2018 and can be downloaded online via https://www.mediafocusonafrica.org/project/ms-president. The launch of applications was presided over by His Excellency Stefano Dejak the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Kenya. The applications will close on July 27th 2018. Applicants can also express interest by accessing forms from the producing organization, Media Focus on Africa through mspresidentkenya@gmail.com.
In Kenya, as in most of Africa, women are usually not found in leadership positions. They are not generally perceived to have the skills, knowledge or social status needed to bring about meaningful change in post-conflict environments.
Kenya has the least representation of woman in the East Africa region despite the two thirds gender rule provision in the constitution of Kenya 2010. Currently in the National Assembly female MPs make up only 22%, 31% in the Senate and only 6% of the Governors. “Ms President” aims at building sustainable female leadership capacity in Kenya by showcasing articulate, intelligent, fair-minded women who are “presidential candidates”.The series will increase the possibility of women in Kenya being called upon to take on leadership positions.
“We are not looking for beauty queens we are looking for #women who are leaders. It’s not just putting women on TV but putting them though leadership training and mentorship” said Frenny Jowi, Project Office, Media Focus on Africa.
The inspiration to produce the “Ms President” reality series in Kenya originated from the Palestinian Ma’aan Television Network, highly popular program ‘The President’, which involved choosing a young Palestinian to be the next Palestinian President.
Kenya’s Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender representative was at launch.
“The women who make it into the programme must be the best version of us. We would like to work with all the women that will apply for the program as the Ministry of Gender” – Lydiah Mathia, advisor to CS Ministry of Gender Kenya.
The European Union that is funding the program by Media Focus on Africa was also present at the launch.
‘No human society is fully developed without women taking the central place. Women need to prepare for power .’ – EU Ambassador Stefano Dejak.