Drafters of the 2010 Constitution did not want a situation where one gender is overly represented in Parliament.
As such, they stipulated that the National Assembly and the Senate should not have more than two-thirds of their members of the same gender.
“Not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender,” says Article 81 (b) of the Constitution.
Given that it is a constitutional matter, the bill needs a nod from two-thirds of the House to sail through to the next stage.
Top politicians have voiced support for the bill that is sponsored by Majority Leader Aden Duale.
However Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has said he will not support the Two-Thirds Gender Bill, terming it a move by ‘slay queens’ who want join Parliament without hard work.
The lawmaker, while addressing journalists in Parliament today, said he would rally his counterparts not to support the Bill sponsored by Leader of Majority Aden Duale.
“Some women leaders have also said they will not support a process where the only thing that a slay queen does is take a shower three times in a day, wear a nice cologne, and get some contracts from China to get these plastic sitting allowances so that she can appear before the party leader and get the party nomination,” Barasa said.
He said it is unfortunate that while there are many women working hard to contribute to the community, there are others who are lazy and are seeking a free ticket.
“We can’t just fill Parliament with people, but rather people who will add value. We only want women of substance, those respected in this country, and above all, the Wanjikus, Anyagos and Naliakas must be given an opportunity to decide if they want to be represented by them,” Barasa said.
“We are going to interrogate this Bill and I want to tell the Majority leader that this Bill is dead on arrival.”
The Kimilili MP further said the Bill does not provide a formula on how the women are going to to be nominated.
He said the manner in which party nominations are conducted should be changed because some were using their influence to get seats.
The lawmaker said the only seats that must be guarded are for people living with disabilities and the youth.
He said the number of women parliamentarians has been increasing in each election – “a sign Kenyans are realising a woman is a better leader than a man”.
The Two-Thirds Bill requires the support of 233 MPs to pass.
Do you agree that the bill will only user in slay queens into the parliamentary sittings?