Cultural sexism took a heavy toll during the just concluded primaries. Or could it be that women did not work hard enough ahead of the exercise? Or was the chaos part of the whole scheme to shut out women? Whatever the case, the performance by women politicians was unsatisfactory by any standards - even the fluid parameters of a national fiasco. Although women came out in their thousands to contest various parliamentary and civic seats across the country, only 55 were reported to have been cleared for the ballot by the time we went to press. Perhaps the number will have increased by the time you read this article.

Perhaps women politicians fared worst in Nyanza Province. Only one out of the 20 women who were vying in the primaries made it over the first hurdle. And former nominated MP Catherine Moraa Nyamato survived only by a combination of small mercies after she obtained a direct PNU nomination. Aggressive campaigns Nyamato will be fighting for the West Mugirango seat against Cabinet minister Henry Obwocha (Ford-P), Dr James Gesami (ODM) and James Matara (ODM-K).

No woman managed to show even signs of a fight in Luo Nyanza. This dismal outcome is a replication of the Ninth Parliament, which had no woman MP from Nyanza. And in what will surely strike some as a sexist conspiracy, no political party nominated a woman from the province. "These are sad moments for Nyanza women. It is apparent we will miss a slot in Parliament again and it's really sad," said Mrs Grace Akumu, who unsuccessfully sought the Nyakach ODM parliamentary nomination. When the scramble for the nomination slots started two months ago, Nyanza women hit the campaign trail with much gusto. Some of those who initially showed a strong presence included a university lecturer, Prof Jacqueline Adhiambo Oduol, and Roza Akinyi Buyu, whose aggressive campaigns in Alego-Usonga and Kisumu Town West gave hope to others.

Others who were in the ODM nomination race included Nellie Okwiri (Gem), Consolata Yambo (Gwasi), Jane Atieno Ogot (Karachuonyo), Mary Patricia Ouma (Kasipul-Kabondo), Grace Akinyi Woigo, Juliet Ogejo (Kisumu Town East), Judith Omogi (Mbita), Agnes Grace Ojany (Muhoroni), Francisca Otete (Ndhiwa), Rose Kisia Omondi (Nyakach), Florence Sylvia Ogur (Nyatike), Agnes Awinja and Jane Okendo (Rongo). But disaster struck on ODM nomination day, when all the women lost their seats in one of the dirtiest exercises of its kind ever to be witnessed in the area. Women aspirants who spoke to Election Platform were adamant they had been rigged out. They claim violence and bribery turned the nomination into a farce.

"My supporters were attacked. My women agents were even raped by the supporters of some of my opponents," says Ms Woigo. It was Ms Buyu who came closest to winning the nominations. She finished second after the winner, Kisumu lawyer John Olago-Aluoch, with 2,342 votes against Olago's 4,716. Nyanza, which made history by producing the country's first elected woman MP - Grace Onyango in 1969 - appears to have now turned its back on its womenfolk. Mrs Onyango also made history by becoming the country's first woman mayor.

The last time Nyanza elected a woman to Parliament was in 1992, when Phoebe Asiyo powered her way into the House despite strong opposition from men. Her retirement from active politics in 1997 appeared to have ushered in a dry spell for the women of the region. The closest a woman came to winning a parliamentary seat after Asiyo's reign was in 1997, when the late Philgona Okundi lost a bid for the Rangwe seat to Dr Shem Ochuodho amid scenes of violence, some of the worst actually meted out on her.

Mrs Ida Odinga, the wife of ODM Presidential candidate Raila Odinga, who has been pushing mightily for women's leadership in Nyanza, must be a very disappointed person. Mrs Odinga has on many occasions pleaded with male politicians in the province to create more chances for women. "It's sad that Nyanza can fail to send a woman to Parliament again. Yet we offered many women with very good leadership qualities," says Mrs Odinga. Says Mrs Akumu, wife of one-time Nyakach MP and pioneer trade unionist Dennis Akumu: "This region produced the first woman MP in the country. We still have very talented women to help us sustain this legacy." The poor performance by women political aspirants in Nyanza has put the Kenya League of Women Voters on the spot. "The League has to return to the drawing board to search for new strategies. We cannot continue like this," says Martha Auma, a gender activist in Kisumu. Auma says women politicians face many challenges that include lack of finances, insecurity, and cultural bias.

But Mrs Onyango, who elbowed out men to cut herself a niche on the national political scene, says Nyanza women have not worked hard enough. An avowed critic of affirmative action, she says women need to plan well and be brave before plunging into politics. She was among the few women leaders who opposed plans towards the end of the Ninth Parliament to create 50 special seats for women, saying it would create laziness among the nation's womenfolk. The Bill was shot down in Parliament. "The modern woman does not need to be spoon-fed. They no longer need free political seats because they are learned and have the money for campaigns," says Mrs Onyango. She adds: "I contested against men and defeated them thirty years ago, why can't our women do it now? Women should be wary of free things because it portrays them negatively. Free things are no good. Let's fight alongside men and defeat them because we are good campaigners after all."

She says women must insist on competing alongside men: "We learn a lot when we contest against men." "If women were honest they would have voted Charity Ngilu to State House in 1997. She was enjoying massive support from women, but many of us bolted at the last minute and voted for men," says Mrs Onyango. In Central Province only three women - Esther Murugi Mathenge, Justice Minister Martha Karua and Assistant Minister Cecily Mbarire - sailed through in tough contests dominated by men. Prof Wangari Maathai, widely considered a heavyweight for her incumbency and 2005 Nobel Prize, could not make it. Also losing the battle was pro bono lawyer Alice Wahome, who was trounced alongside Kandara's Engineer Joshua Toro.

In Nyeri Town, land economist Esther Murugi Mathenge sailed through after two unsuccessful bids for the seat on a PNU ticket. She outshone Peter Gichohi Mureithi, who had rolled out a flamboyant campaign laced with big money. A graduate of the University of Nairobi, she is poised to become Nyeri's second woman MP if she overcomes the next hurdle on December 27. However, it is widely expected that whoever got the ticket in President Kibaki's party in the Mt Kenya region will triumph at the December poll.

Murugi said that it took her courage to go to vote hunting into slum areas, sometimes knowing very well that she was exposing herself to danger. In Eastern Province, a number of women candidates were locked out when parties handed tickets to their male rivals. Tera Igoki got a direct nomination for the North Imenti parliamentary seat.

In Isiolo South, the only woman aspirant, Mrs Mumina Konso (Narc-Kenya), went out campaigning aggressively for the nomination, even after losing her husband three weeks ago. But she did not know that, all along, her sole rival, Hussein Tene, a former junior prison warder, had been nominated directly by the party. In Runyenjes, also in Eastern Province, Mbarire beat outgoing local legislator Nyaga Wambora 8,542 votes against 7,012 votes.

Minister Karua has reigned in her constituency for three consecutive terms. Her victory in the PNU nominations may be a clear sign that she will get into the 10th Parliament. Since Independence, Gichugu Constituency has only known two MPs. Karua is the second. But the Nobel Laureate Maathai came a surprisingly poor third in her Tetu Constituency PNU nominations. The international figure lost to a long-time vibrant competitor, Francis Thumbi Nyamu. She accused her male opponents of using their masculinity and violence to outdo her. She said the nominations were not free and fair.