Is it just having more women in the parliament or women who will actually perform their duties? Not that those currently in the assembly are not doing theirs. Leader of Majority Aden Duale passionately lobbied MPs on the floor of the House on Tuesday, November 20, to support the two-third gender Bill outlining the untapped leadership skills among women. However, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa believes by creating avenues to nominate more women to the National Assembly is likely to see Parliament swarming with women with no substance.
Unless with amendments to give women an opportunity to choose who represents them, Barasa fears the proposed Bill gives room for political party leaders to nominate slay queens. “I am lobbying fellow parliamentarians not to pass the two-thirds Gender Bill unless with amendments to give Kenyan Woman an opportunity to choose who represents them.
The Bill as proposed gives room for political parties to nominate slay queens as has been the case in the past,” he said. On a Facebook post on Tuesday, November 20, the outspoken Jubilee lawmaker asserts the fact that the number of elected women is increasing day by day is an indicator women are elected based on vision and not gender. “Its a fact that women who have struggled competitively to join leadership would help in reshaping the development conversation of our country better than those handpicked,” he added.
Gender equity remains a major issue in Kenya despite spirited campaigns by female MPs pushing for implementation of equal representation in Parliament. Despite the letter and spirit of the 2010 Constitution, representation in legislative assemblies continues to stall on the two-thirds gender rule. The current 12th Parliament has a total 75 female MPs, out of these are 22 elected from the 290 representing, six nominated while 47 were elected as woman representatives.