Two women legislators have opposed a contentious bill proposed by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee seeking to shelve the implementation of the gender rule.
Senate Majority Whip Beatrice Elachi and Nairobi Woman Representative Rachel Shebesh attacked the plan to amend the Constitution and have the gender rule implemented progressively, saying the supreme law’s provision that no members of one gender should constitute more than two-thirds in public positions must be respected.
The women leaders who were speaking at St Joseph Catholic Church in Kangemi said both the letter and spirit of the Constitution must be upheld. Justice Legal Affairs Committee Chairman Samuel Chepkonga (Ainamoi) proposes to table the bill to amend the Constitution to fight the August 27 deadline on roll-out of the gender rule.
Mr Chepkonga proposes in the bill gradual realisation of the principle without setting a deadline.
However, Ms Elachi (pictured) and Ms Shebesh argue that rolling out of the rule should not be postponed, adding that deliberate actions must be made to implement the contentious principle.
They said legislators should not view the implementation of the principle as a women’s issue, but rather as constitutional obligation.
“We will continue fighting for parity through the gender rule as Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (Kewopa) and we will consult the Speaker to have the bill dropped,” said Shebesh.
Elachi said already many public offices are in breach of the constitutional requirement, citing the Council of Governors, where all county bosses are men. She said the country must move towards ensuring women representations in such areas.
“The Council of Governors is a club of men and maybe we should look at how the gender rule can be applied in 2017 to ensure that women are represented in this forum,” said Elachi.
The Constitution recognises women, youth, persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities as special groups deserving protection.
