Women leaders have now renewed the push to actualise the gender rule saying it is not about women’s affair but a human rights issue.

President’s advisor on Women Rights, Harriette Chiggai said this constitution is ripe for amendment since it has been more than 10 years since it was promulgated. “The president saw it fit that we should discuss this pertinent issue of two-third and effect changes in our constitution so as to cure this disease from hereditarily transferring to upcoming generation,” she said who attended the consultative forum for women leaders on the Constitutional Amendment Bill in a Nairobi hotel yesterday

Appointive bodies

She said it is up to all leaders to change the status quo which faced the 10th and 11th Parliament despite plain provision of the constitution under Article 27(8) and 81(b) of the Constitution, which speaks of not more than two-thirds of members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender. Chiggai said it is clear the same ‘disease’ has mutated in the 12th parliament hence the need to look for ‘medicine’, which is replicated through constitutional amendment.

“Never has the opportunity to gather so many women leaders to me been so timely and so critical as today. We all know that when it comes to women in political decision-making, equality is still a dream yet to be realised. Women represent only one in four members of parliament meaning higher up the echelons of power, women are fewer in numbers these are facts,” Chaggai added.

She said the initiative behind the discussion yesterday was fuelled by a shared commitment to placing gender equality in leadership and governance at the forefront, not only as a matter of human rights, but also because it is critical for the socio-economic growth.   “We cannot wait any longer.  If we are to achieve the aspiration of Kenya Kwanza government, we must redouble our efforts towards actualisation of two-third gender principle. We must increase women’s leadership, and we must continue to push for spaces that amplify the voices of women,” she affirmed.

She said they have to take into account that parliament should not make laws without violating the constitution but, parliament since the inception of the 2010 constitution has continuously violated the constitution.