WOMEN WANT 80 NEW CONSTITUENCIES RESERVED FOR THEM

Women leaders now want the 80 new constituencies expected to be created before the next general elections to be reserved for women-only candidates.

This is the latest proposal being floated as way of ensuring that not more than two-thirds of MPs are of the same gender, as stipulated in the constitution. 

Prof. Wanjiku Kabira of the National Women’s Committee on Implementation of the Constitution said that the proposal is in line with best practices from other African countries that promote gender balance.

The women leaders further want clause 34 of the Elections Bill amended to compel political parties to comply with the two-thirds principle while nominating candidates for elective offices.

The proposed amendment reads in part, “…the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission scrutinizes the lists of candidates for elective offices nominated by all Political Parties participating in the elections of the National assembly, Senate and County Assembly to comply with the principle that not more than two-thirds of the nominated candidates are of the same gender. Where the list submitted by any political party fails to comply with this requirement, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission shall reject the entire party list.”

These proposals are contained in a cabinet memo to be presented to the cabinet sub-committee that was set up to deliberate on ‘technically possible’ options of achieving the gender balance principle in the Elections Bill.

“If the cabinet fails to act on the proposals, we shall bring them up for debate on the floor of the house,” said nominated MP Rachel Shebesh.

According to Rose Mbithi, the Director of Women United for Social Economic and Total Empowerment, the two proposals are not mutually exclusive and both of them should be implemented simultaneously.

Addressing a press conference yesterday at a Nairobi hotel, after a consensus building meeting, the women leaders said that they are not only advocating for gender equity, but also fighting for the rights of marginalized groups. They added that what they have come up with are just proposals and they are open to other viable alternatives.

“Affirmative action is not about women but protecting the integrity of the constitution and honouring the diversity of Kenyans,” said Prof. Maria Nzomo of the University of Nairobi’s Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations.

Dr. Regina Mwatha, of the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission, noted that their proposals were not meant to be permanent fixtures but intended to last until its objectives are realized.

“Who knows, maybe in future we may be required to undertake affirmative action for men,” Dr. Mwatha said.

The women leaders are however not worried about representation in the senate and county assemblies as they say that it is already taken care of in the constitution. Their concern is mainly in the National Assembly where the number of women members should not be less than 117 out of the total 350, including the speaker.