KENYA NEEDS MORE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

KENYA NEEDS MORE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

By Allan Chesang (African Times Guest Writer)

According to the Kenyan constitution, not more

than two-thirds of members in elective public

positions shall be of the same gender. This

means no more than two-thirds of members of

parliament shall be of the same sex. The

Constitution sought to provide more

representation to women via the two-thirds

gender principle, but this is yet to be realised on

the ground.

Although some headway has been made

towards achieving gender equality in Kenya, the

situation is still far from ideal.

Although the 2017 elections noted a substantial

figure of women candidates, data from the

Independent Electoral and Boundaries

Commission (IEBC) indicates that out of the

10,918 political aspirants, only 1,749 (16 per

cent) were women.

As is the case with past elections, it is very

difficult for women to enter into leadership

positions. This is mainly due to socio-cultural

backgrounds which profile gender roles. As

such women remain under-represented.

Presently women make up 19 per cent of MPs,

which is below the 33 per cent constitutional

provision.

Taking a look at Kenya’s history, there was not a

single female MP in the first legislature in

1963.There was 4.1 per cent women

represented in Parliament in 1997; 8.1 per cent

in 2002 and 9.8 per cent in 2007.

There are 68 (19 per cent) women in today’s

National Assembly, 18 (27 per cent) in the

Senate and 82 (6 per cent) elected to county

assemblies. These figures still fall below the 33

per cent minimum constitutional provision.

A system to implement the two-thirds gender

rule is still in debate with various proposals put

across by the members in both houses of

parliament. However a solution has yet to be

found.

Lobby groups led by Federation of Women

Lawyers in Kenya (Fida, Kenya), Centre for

Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW); and

Community Advocacy and Awareness Trust

(CRAWN) presented a petition in court seeking

to stop the IEBC from presenting the list of

elected members of both the National

Assembly and Senate pending fulfilment of the

two-third principle.

Following this petition by Fida, the judge

directed the Attorney-General, Speakers of the

Senate and the National Assembly to reply

within three weeks. They did not respond.

Despite this petition, both Houses were

established and commenced with house

business.

In December 2012, the Supreme Court ruled

that the two-thirds gender principle was not yet

a full right capable of direct enforcement.

Be that as it may be, a community that

empowers its women, is a community that

empowers itself. Going forward, it is the hope

that more and more women dare to vie for

leadership positions.

(Allan Chesang is a Commentator on socio-

political issues and the founder of Allan

Chesang Foundation)