NGOs urge MPs to pass Gender Rule Bill

The National Council of NGOs is appealing to all Members of Parliament to avail themselves in the National Assembly on Thursday to ensure the Gender Rule Bill sails through.

Council National Chairman Stephen Cheboi on Monday castigated MPs who failed to support the Bill when it was on the floor of the House last Wednesday, warning its flop would deal a big blow for the country.

Cheboi said NGOs have committed to sensitize Kenyans on the importance of the Bill that seeks to implement Article 81 of the Constitution that requires that not more than two-thirds of either gender is represented at both Senate and National Assemblies.

MPs last week failed to marshal numbers required to pass into law the two-thirds gender rule, with only 195 MPs voting for it, 28 against while several abstained without recording their abstentions.

Only 242 MPs were present during voting yet the Bill to amend the Constitution can only proceed if the speaker is certain there are 233 MPs present, representing two-thirds of all MPs in the House.