More time sought on gender rule

The National Assembly in session. The gender parity rule should be shelved, a parliamentary committee has proposed. FILE PHOTO |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Parliament has found it difficult to implement the requirement in the Constitution that “not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender”. The deadline was Agust 27 this year.
• At a retreat for the leaders in Mombasa earlier in the year, Mr Duale asked the committee’s vice-chairperson, Ms Priscilla Nyokabi, to take “the political hot potato” away from MPs.

By JOHN NGIRACHU
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The gender parity rule should be shelved, a parliamentary committee has proposed.

This can be done by emending the constitution and the legal affairs committee has proposed to do away with the August 27 deadline and to have the principle fulfilled progressively.

Committee chairman Samuel Chepkong’a, proposes in a Bill the progressive realisation of the principle. If passed, it would be the first amendment to the Constitution. “A number of options have been considered and all require a constitutional amendmen,” said Mr Chepkong’a.
He was supported in the House yesterday by Majority Leader Aden Duale.

There was no debate or opposition to the idea, with Speaker Justin Muturi noting the urgency with which the matter was handled.

DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT

Parliament has found it difficult to implement the requirement in the Constitution that “not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender”. The deadline was Agust 27 this year.

At a retreat for the leaders in Mombasa earlier in the year, Mr Duale asked the committee’s vice-chairperson, Ms Priscilla Nyokabi, to take “the political hot potato” away from MPs.

If passed, the headache of how to implement the principle without increasing the number of MPs would go away.

“The proposed amendment may be effected through a parliamentary initiative and does not require a referendum,” said Mr Chepkong’a.
This means that the Bill has to be passed by both Houses.