Former President Barack Obama wants more women to get involved in politics β for a good reason.
During a town hall in Johannesburg on Wednesday, a woman from Kenya asked Obama for his advice on how to get involved in politics in a country riddled with corruption. His answer was honest and to the point.
βWomen in particular ... I want you to get more involved,β Obama told the crowd. βBecause men have been getting on my nerves lately.
βI mean, every day I read the newspaper and I just think like, βBrothers, whatβs wrong with you guys? Whatβs wrong with us?ββ he continued. βI mean, weβre violent, weβre bullying. You know, just not handling our business. So I think empowering more women on the continent β that right away is going to lead to some better policies.β
The former president spoke at an event hosted by The Obama Foundation. About 200 young professionals from the African Leadership Academy attended the 90-minute event.
After answering the Kenyan womanβs question, Obama added that there are many βdifferent ways in which you can effectuate change.β
βThe one thing you canβt do is pretend that politics doesnβt matter and say to yourself βthatβs too corrupt, thatβs too broken, Iβm not going to get involved in it,ββ Obama said. βBecause at some point, if you are ambitious about what you are doing in your home country, you will confront politics.β
Watch the full video of Obamaβs town hall below.