Kenyan High Court at the weekend ordered parliament to enact a law that will ensure that women get at least a third of all elective seats The Supreme Court in an earlier ruling gave Parliament up to August 27, 2015 to come up with legislation on how the one-third gender rule will be met in the 2017 general election.
The High Court ruling is coming on the heels of affirmative action by pressure groups for the implementation of the gender principle as enshrined in the country’s 2010 Constitution.
The 2010 Constitution of Kenya passed by 63 per cent of voters in a referendum “ espouses the rights of women as being equal in law to men, and entitled to enjoy equal opportunities in the political, social and economic spheres. Article 81 (b) which refers to the general principles of Kenya’s electoral system states ‘the electoral system shall comply with the following principle – (b) not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender. Article 27 goes further to obligate the government to develop and pass policies and laws, including affirmative action programs and policies to address the past discrimination that women have faced. The government is required to develop policies and laws to ensure that, not more than two-thirds of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same sex”
Despite the introduction of the two-thirds gender rule, Women Parliamentarians continue to be subjected to stereotypes, sexism and accusations of incompetence. Currently, Kenyan Parliament has 69 women to 439 men members
Reacting to the new ruling, Gladis Wanga, an MP from Homabay County, described it as a breathe of fresh air, stating that its is over for the men who had made parliament their exclusive club.
She said: “ Its been a men’s club. And just seeing that women have been trying to break in and occupy serious seats frightened the men a bit. That is why we (women) have had a lot of difficulty in passing the two-thirds gender bill. Men related to themselves, they see women back in their villages and feel may be these ones will now rise and come and take over our places”
Teresa Nyokabi Minhia, a party candidate in Ngong ward is elated.
“As a women, I am happy and I think I can offer help more than the men” But will men vote for her.?
She replies, “Quite a number of men have accepted me because they have seen me as a leader in the church, a leader in where I have worked and in what I am doing now and they are impressed. In fact I have more men supporters than women”
As things stand, she and many like her, have only their male competitors to fear. The law is firmly on their side.
Parliament has 60 days to enact the law or face the threat of being dissolved. With agency reports
