Female nominated MPs have no impact, new report shows

Parliament during a past session. [File, Standard]

Committee says women politicians have come of age and are now capable of taking on their male counterparts in polls.

A Senate committee has thrown into jeopardy a proposed law to get more women into Parliament through the implementation of the two-thirds gender principle.

The Senate Legal Affairs and Justice Committee in a report tabled in the House says the impact of nominated women in the National Assembly and Senate is yet to be felt.

The report further adds that women politicians have come of age and are now capable of giving their male counterparts a run for their money, and should not just be given special seats without putting in any effort.

“The Bill infringes on the political rights of the public by imposing that women be voted for,” reads part of the report.

Special seats

The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2019, sponsored by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jrn and his nominated counterpart Farhiya Ali had proposed an amendment to the Constitution to give effect to the two-thirds gender principle through creation of what they termed as ‘special seats’.

The Constitution states that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective bodies can be of the same gender. But the committee chaired by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has thwarted the attempt to amend the Constitution to give effect to the principle.

The committee’s verdict is seen as a blow to the several attempts made both in the National Assembly and the Senate to pass a law that would guarantee more seats for women in Parliament.

The committee emphasised that there is already a constitutional provision that exists for equal representation of both sexes, and that there is need to explore other options outside of amending the supreme law. Currently, out of 416 MPs – 349 in the National Assembly and 67 in the Senate – 32 are nominated MPs, of whom 20 are in the Senate and 12 in the National Assembly.

The Senate has 16 nominated women while the National Assembly has seven nominated women.

The Bill co-sponsored by the two senators further seeks to have more women nominated to the Senate and the National Assembly to bridge the gender gap, and ensure that at least one-third of the MPs in the next House are women.

Better strategy

“The Bill has been introduced in both Houses (several times) but it keeps on failing. There is thus need for a better strategy to be put in place to ensure that the Bill passes as Parliament is required to have the law in place,” the committee report reads in part.

“There are more women as per the preliminary results of the census exercise. However, women’s representation is lacking,” it adds.

The committee further argued that other marginalised groups, such as youths and persons living with disabilities, face similar challenges to women.