MCA Grace Bahati speaks out on sexist attacks she endured
By Luke Oluoch, October 31, 2025A host of young political aspirants have highlighted the major challenge they encountered while contesting leadership positions in the country.
Speaking on a local TV on Friday, October 31, 2025, the young leaders cited the issue of marital status and finances among the issues that young people need to mull over while seeking to contest for elective positions.
Grace Bahati, the Kyeleni Machakos Member of County Assembly (MCA), disclosed how her marital status was used to derail her campaigns.
Grace, who ran as an independent candidate, urged young leaders wishing to seek elective positions to brace for a tough battle.
Unmarried
“I was there, not married, and people were like, ‘She is not married and not having kids, so how will she lead us without kids? Others claimed if I got married, I would take the seat away from them,” she stated.
She also revealed that despite staying the course and emerging a winner as an independent candidate, she still contends with abuse, especially from fellow young people.
“Young people have also fought me, especially on social media; they are the ones with the most insults. It left me wondering, “How can we build each other up if we are the ones attacking each other instead of pulling each other up?” She posed.
On his part, Tony Blair Onyango, a former MCA aspirant in Nairobi’s Landi Mawe, explained how the challenge of finances has been a huge impediment.
Election and finances
Onyango decried how the citizens demanded money from politicians, who equally struggled to fund their campaigns.
According to the youthful politician, dishing out money during campaigns results in lower levels of accountability.
“In Nairobi, the issue is financial challenge. I was a comrade then, struggling with life as my opponents dished out money. The challenge of finance is huge. We either have to make politics less expensive or enforce the Election Finance Act,” he added.
In a call to action, Bahati urged the older generation to encourage leadership from young people through positive mentorship.
“Mentorship is important. If you notice a potentiality of leadership in people, please mentor them. Young people also need to get the resources. Do not expect to be out there and be voted merely as a Gen Z;You will need cash too,She added.