Fida vows to challenge Marriage Bill

By WILFRED AYAGA

The Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida) has said it will move to court to challenge offending clauses in the Marriage Bill if President Uhuru Kenyatta assents to it.

The federation, through its chairperson Ruth Aura, said the President should protect the institution of the family by declining to sign the Bill into law.

She accused MPs who had ganged up to pass the amendments for failing to live up to their mandate of protecting societal stability.

“I would urge the President not to sign it. The amendments are retrogressive and do not augur well for the general wellbeing of the society,” Ms Aura told The Standard on phone.

The lawyer’s lobby accused the MPs of failing to uphold the law in passing the controversial amendments, one of which denied women any say in a man’s decision to marry a second wife.

The MPs also deleted a clause that would have given women the right to seek damages should a partner break a marriage promise.

“Parliament should be upholding the law. If they pass amendments that threaten the well-being of the society, how can we trust them,” Aura posed.

During debate in the House last week, male MPs passed the amendments despite bitter opposition from their female counterparts.

The Bill went through its Third Reading yesterday, and now only requires the President’s signature to become law.