President Kenyatta urges MPs to pass two thirds gender rule

President Uhuru Kenyatta has implored all parliamentarians to consider passing the two-thirds gender rule to ensure the country heeds to constitutional demands.

Speaking during the unveiling of Gachororo PCEA Church in Juja on Sunday, President Kenyatta also challenged women to wake up from their comfort zones and fight for their space against men.

“Don’t wait for nominations, wake up and compete with men because Kenya is yours, you are populous and I want to help you to settle leadership positions before the end of my tenure. You have been born leaders but men have been inflicting fears in you,” he said.

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen on his part promised to lobby his colleagues to back the Bill in the Senate.

“In the Senate we assure you we shall stand with the constitution as it is and support our women get their right share for what they deserve in the constitution. I know my colleagues in the parliament are seeking excuses to flop the bill but we cannot debate with the constitution as it is,” said the leader of majority in the Senate.

“We passed the constitution as it is and we believe in our mothers and sisters. I believe my colleagues in parliament will jointly stand as men who have wives, daughters and sisters to ensure that two third gender rule is fully enacted.”

The Bill, which is set to be tabled in parliament on Tuesday, is projected to end the gender imbalance in administration of state affairs.

A similar bid slumped in the last Parliament after male legislators ganged up to throw out the proposal, which was heavily backed by their women counterparts.

In a well-calculated move, male MPs embargoed the vote thereby denying the obligatory numbers to have it pass, with some claiming that the Bill was an affront to democracy as it would give women “free” seats.

The president further reiterated the need to restore the cohesiveness between the church and the government stating that, although the two are constitutionally different entities, their unity will help in restoration of lost moral fabric in the country.

“We have lost that moral drive, that engine that was propelling us to other heights and I said that although we are trusting and ready to adhere to the constitutional clauses that states that the government and the church are separate entities, we need to restore our cohesiveness and try and bring back our moral fabric,” he said.

The Head of State said that the church has a major role to play in instilling discipline and a future in the young generation insisting that his government will work to strengthen government-church relationships.