Women leaders have vowed to set aside their political differences and pursue the elusive two-thirds gender bill that has flopped in Parliament a record five times.
The bill seeks to bridge gender disparity in the House by amending the Constitution to allow for extra nomination slots for women.
Under the theme ‘A common women’s voice agenda’, leaders from both the Embrace and Inua Mama camps on Monday said they will continue championing implementation of the rule.
Embrace supports the handshake between President Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga while Inua Mama backs Deputy President William Ruto.
ONE VOICE
Addressing the press in Nairobi, the leaders said they will not give up on passage of the bill and called on both the National Assembly and the Senate to respect the Constitution.
Led by Priscila Nyokabi from Embrace, they said that despite their political differences, they will speak with one voice on matters affecting women.
“While it is true that there is division, there is no harm in that because women too have different perspectives but on issues affecting women we will fight from one corner,” Ms Nyokabi said.
“We would like to affirm our common agenda and reject any schemes to divide us long artificial boundaries and categories. The problems that face us as women are the same and will not allow others create segments among us.”
Purity Ngirici, a member of Inua Mama and chair of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (Kewopa), reiterated that they will continue to safeguard gains by women under the Constitution as they push for passage of the bill.
“The mission and vision of both camps [are centred on women’s needs]. They all focus on economic empowerment and equal representation,” Ms Ngirici said.
Those at the media briefing included Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay), Florence Mutua (Busia), Rehab Mukami (Nyeri), Faith Gitau (Nyandarua), Esther Psaris (Nairobi), Mary Seneta (nominated), Rosa Buyu (Kisumu), Margaret Kamar (Uasin Gishu) and Fatuma Gedi (Wajir).
“SPECIAL SEATS”
The women leaders protested the recent move by the Senate Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to reject a proposed law to get more women into Parliament through implementation of the gender principle.
The committee chaired by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei rejected Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2019, sponsored by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr and his nominated counterpart Farhiya Ali.
The bill proposed an amendment to the Constitution to give effect to the two-thirds gender principle through creation of “special seats”.
“Clearly, the senate seems to support a system of marginalisation. Women condemn this in the strongest terms possible,” Ms Nyokabi said.
LONG ROAD
Despite the bill’s failure — four times in the National Assembly and once in the Senate — the leaders said they will not give up raising the matter.
“We will continue bringing up the bill until it passes. The National Assembly and the Senate are institutions which must respect the Constitution on the implementation of this bill. We are down but not out,” Ms Nyokabi said.
The Constitution states that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective bodies can be of the same gender.
The latest rejection by the Senate committee dealt a big blow to several attempts in the National Assembly and the Senate to pass a law that would guarantee more seats for women in Parliament.
Currently, out of 416 MPs – 349 in the National Assembly and 67 in the Senate – 32 are nominated MPs, 20 being in the Senate and 12 in the National Assembly.
The Senate has 16 nominated women while the National Assembly has seven.