Political Goodwill key to the Passing of the Gender Rule
By Susan Chesyina
As we mark the International Women Day, the Kenyan woman has little to celebrate about, with the society still living in patriarchal era and mind sets about women capability and capacity in question.
The failed attempts to pass the two third gender rule that is a constitutional requirement which proposes women occupy a third of all seats in parliament and appointive positions is clear testimony.
Currently Parliament has 30 elected Women Members of Parliament while the Senate remains with three elected senators, in addition to nominations and elected Women representatives, the percentage failing below the requirement.
Rwanda, Uganda, and Ethiopia are still ahead of us in women representation in legislature and other governance structures, as much as we could be a model functioning democracy in the region.
The United Nation calls for women to be recognized for their achievements without regard to division, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.It urges humanity to provide the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generation of women.
The impressive number of women seeking leadership in various positions the last General elections is an indicator that women are not looking for favours in affirmative action, but they only want fairness and justice.
The number of women aspirants has been increasing every other election cycle which is a prove that they have leadership potential despite the inherent societal failings.
Lack of political goodwill among other issues has been blamed for the abortive run to fulfill the constitutional demand that has seen six bills defeated in parliament and subsequent advisory by the former Chief Justice David Maraga to former President Kenyatta to dissolve parliament after it failed to implement the rule but was ignored. The advisory has since been withdrawn.
President Ruto says " its regrettable that implementation has become a conudrum.There is a profound sense that we have failed Kenya's women and I believe its time to make a decisive break through".
He appointed the Multi sectoral Working Committee to spearhead the crusade to ensure that the gender rule is implemented.
Among the recommendations include amendments to the Constitution, the Elections Act and the Political parties Act.
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The Committee recommends that there will be a top using the party lists as it has been done in the country Assemblies.
The Registrar of Political Parties, its recommended should start fund training and other projects that will cultivate women leadership.
The electoral system has been cited for the continued violation constitutional requirement hence giving undue advantage to the male politicians.
Political parties should also be compelled to ensure that not more that two thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies are of the same gender.
Its disappointing that such a serious constitution requirement has taken such long time to implement and that this manifests in the kind of leadership that ill treats the governable structure.
Its encouraging that the Gender Cabinet Secretary Asha Jumwa after receiving the recommendations of the Multi Sectrol Committee has visited the Opposition leader Raila Odinga and the two Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate Mr Moses Wetangula and Amos Kingi to drum support for the document.
The gender rule should not be looked at as favouring women, but cuts across, and men need to refocus their mind sets and support its fully implementation.
Therefore, the prejudice against women is uncalled for and all leaders should be in the fore front in fighting for women rights, fear that they will dominate is far fetched.
Countries with gender equality have better economic and political growth, according to former Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Kin Moon.
President Ruto is likely to enrich his legacy, if he leads from front and ensures that the two third gender rule is implemented.
The Author is UDA politician and Founder of Women lobby group in Baringo county.
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