Gender rule tests political will ahead of 2027 election

NGEC chair Rehema Jaldesa with Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi at a gender rule forum in Nairobi on October 2, 2026. [Courtesy]

As political parties prepare for the 2027 General Election, Kenya’s long-running debate over the two-thirds gender principle is entering another critical phase, with renewed pressure on Parliament to enact legislation and on the electoral commission to ensure women are not locked out of elective positions.