Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga has met with the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage Aisha Jumwa over the two-thirds gender principle.

In a statement after the meeting, Jumwa termed the input of Raila as very key to the work being done by the multi-sectoral working group (MSWK) which is handling the issue.

“I would like to thank ODM Leader Raila Odinga for creating time to meet me and members of the multi-sectoral working group on the realization of the not more than two thirds gender principle at his Capitol Hill office. This meeting came at a very critical moment because the input of the ODM leader in this discourse is key,” Jumwa stated.

“On 9th December 2022, the President submitted a Memorandum to National Parliament requesting it to consider a constitutional amendment to enact the not more than two-thirds gender principle. It is against this background and in the spirit of fully implementing the Constitution of Kenya (2010) on the two thirds gender principle that the Multi Sectoral Working Group – MSWG comprising of state and non-state actors was established.”

During the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) deliberations, MSWG submitted preliminary proposals for their consideration.

In their report, NADCO ceded the issue to be addressed comprehensively by the MSWG and submit its report to Parliament for consideration and further action.

Jumwa says the MSWG has since fulfilled its mandate and developed a framework for the implementation of the not more than two thirds gender principle.

“The MSWG has prepared a report detailing the considerations made in arriving at the proposed framework. However, the consultations cannot be complete without the insights of the ODM leader and that is why my team and I paid a courtesy call on his office today,” Jumwa said.

Raila speaks

In a statement after the meeting, Raila said there was consensus that enhanced collaborative efforts are essential for fully realizing its implementation as intended.

“This morning at Capitol Hill Square, I held discussions with the Multi-sectoral Working Group on the Two-Thirds Gender Principle, led by CS Aisha Jumwa. There was consensus that enhanced collaborative efforts are essential for fully realizing its implementation as intended,” Raila stated.

This is the first meeting Raila has held with a cabinet secretary hours after he publicly appeared with his political nemesis President William Ruto.

On Monday, the duo visited Uganda President Yoweri Museveni as the duo heated up campaigns for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship, which Raila is seeking.

Raila revealed that apart from discussions around East African regional issues, they discussed his candidature for the AUC job.

“Several days ago, I accepted an invitation from President Kaguta Museveni of Uganda for a joint meeting with President William Ruto today to discuss the deepening of regional integration within the East African Community,” Raila said.

“Crucially, at the urging of President Museveni, we also discussed my candidacy for Chairperson of the African Union Commission. I am very grateful to President Museveni for strongly endorsing my candidacy and to President Ruto for fully backing it.”

During his declaration, Raila said he was the right candidate for the AU Commission chairmanship.

“Today, I want to make it public that I am ready to go for the chairmanship of the Africa Union. I am ready and offer myself to be of service to this African content when called upon. I believe that Africa is playing in a league that it should not play in and that it deserves better,” Raila said on February 15, 2024.

The former Prime Minister also received backing from former Nigeria president and AU Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Olusegun Obasanjo.

“We believe that people who have held the positions of head of government like at PM level will be able to knock on the door of incumbent PMs, Presidents without much ado. Such people would probably be the right persons armed with other attributes at this particular time,” he said.