NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 23 — Women MPs under the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) have urged National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) to take cognizance of the entrenchment of the two-thirds gender rule in their report.
The women legislators emphasized that women views in the last 13 years since the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya must be incorporated in the report to ensure attainment of the elusive two-thirds gender rule.
Speaking on the sidelines a meeting to deliberate KEWOPA leadership journey, KEWOPA Vice Chairperson Beatrice Elachi insisted they shall persist pursuing their definitive role and aspirations as transformational political leaders.
“We acknowledge the need to keep interrogating deeply entrenched patriarchal norms and stereotypes that threaten the full and active participation of women in politics in Kenya,”she said.
Elachi appreciated the concerted efforts by non-governmental organisation to push for women leadership.
“I appreciate the efforts of Mzalendo Trust, FEMNET and IDEA International for the good partnership in supporting Women Parliamentarians in their political leadership,” she said.
The implementation of the two-thirds gender principle has been fronted by the government side as one of the agenda items in National Dialogue Committee.
A total of 76 women were elected to the National Assembly comprising 29 women elected to represent single member constituencies as well as 47 women representatives while the senate comprises three elected women and 16 nominated ones.
Three failed attempts
Implementation of the two-thirds gender rule has remained elusive despite more than three attempts by MPs to push it through.
The latest attempt to push for the rule through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) collapsed after a landmark ruling declaring the process illegal.
At the same time,the women legislators called for urgent, concerted interventions to mitigate the effects of the El Nino rains that has caused devastating effects including loss of lives and displacement.
KEWOPA maintained its committed to collaborate with National and County governments and other stakeholders to offer the necessary support.
“As a nation, this is the time to pull together and avoid blame games. We urgently call upon the government to expedite interventions to ensure the safety and well-being of the affected communities and declare the rains a national disaster,” said Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda.
Mandera Women Representative Umukheir Kassim added: “We called on private stakeholders to come on aid for victims of floods in North Eastern Kenya especially Mandera and asked the government to declare El-Nino rains as a National disaster.”
