Uhuru urges MPs to pass the two-thirds gender Bill

Uhuru urges MPs to pass the two-thirds gender Bill

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged Members of Parliament to pass the Gender Rule Bill seeking to amend the Constitution to allow for nomination of more women to Parliament to meet the two-thirds gender rule threshold.

The President says the Bill will empower the government to take legislative measures to realise the two-thirds principle and also secure gender equity in government.

In a statement to newsrooms, the Head of State said the Bill under consideration Wednesday,  also provides that beneficiaries of the nominations can only serve two terms in these special seats.

The President has urged the MPs to turn up in the National Assembly and approve the Bill.

The National Assembly is expected to pass the Gender Rule Bill, as women MPs reach out to men MPs for numbers to pass the Bill.

A total of 233 MPs are needed to pass the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill to aid Kenya in achieving the two third gender representation in the next Parliament.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s Cheche Show Wednesday morning, Murang’a Women Representative Sabina Chege and Kibra MP Ken Okoth urged their colleagues to turn up and approve the Bill.

National Gender and Equality Commission Chairperson Winnie Luchuma has also appealed to legislatures to support the Bill  which seeks to amend the Constitution to allow for nomination of more women to Parliament to meet the gender rule threshold.

The Bill, by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, states that if elected women do not meet the two thirds gender rule, then the remaining number will be filled through nomination.

In December 2015, the Commission for the Implementation of Commission (CIC) chair Charles Nyachae urged the National Assembly to expedite the process of implementing The Duale Bill and the Constitutional Amendment Bill that sought to fast track the implementation of two-thirds gender rule.

In a press briefing,  the commission urged the National Assembly to further put in place the necessary framework to ensure the implementation of the principle that not more than two thirds of members of the National Assembly and the Senate are of one gender.

“As the country knows, this subject has been expensively discussed in all quarters and has even been subjected to discussion before the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court,” said Nyachae.

Tags:

kenya parliament women Sabina Chege Charles Nyachae Women in Parliament Gender Rule Bill gender equity Winfred Lichuma

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories