The irony in “House Wife” Emancipation: Reflection of Female Relationships in Domestic Service Employment, in Nairobi-Kenya

This study has explored interactions among female domestic employers (FDEs) and female domestic workers (FDWs). Understanding and interpreting their interactions was guided by the following three questions: What are the diversities of interactions between FDEs and FDWs? What are the drivers to these interactions? What are the negotiation strategies used by FDW to have agency from their employers. To answer these questions, the study used data collected through in-depth interviews and observation, to bring out the voices and experiences of both FDEs and FDWs. This acts as a fair ground to add knowledge to the existing debate by Morgan, Harding and Mohanty on the role of patriarchy in women oppression and differences that exist among them on women oppression from Kenyan context. To analyse empirical data, I used concepts of power and class relations that are in line with foucauldian theory of power and subjectification. The analysis shows that, FDEs and FDWs have diverse oppressive relations that include: Control of time, kindness and com-passion and labour relations. The diversity in their interaction is influenced by their differences in power and class positions that remain distinct in their close interactions. These differences were displayed in different forms like: Language and name use and familial ideologies. In many cases, employees use different strategies to negotiate for agency from their employers, which included: Cheating and faking truth, gratifying employer’s expectations and trust acquisition. The paper argues that, oppression among women exist(from the context of domestic sphere) and that women are not a homogenous group, but differ from context to another, thus placing certain category of women in a higher power positioning, which they uphold by maintaining the power of another category low.