On 22 November 2018, a caucus of women who lost in previous general elections said it would petition the courts to dissolve Parliament if MPs failed to pass the gender bill.
The group, calling itself the Untapped Women Voices Group, said it wanted the two-thirds gender rule placed on the agenda of the anticipated referendum. Its members come from all 47 counties, and the caucus is led by 2013 Siaya Senate aspirant Agnes Awour.
Awour said the proposed rule was meant to increase women’s presence in Parliament and confront what the group described as the harsh reality facing women in Kenyan politics. She told reporters in Nairobi that she was “70 per cent convinced” the bill would pass this time, but added that if it collapsed, the next step would be to go to court and challenge the decision.
The women also argued that, if the bill succeeds, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission should be responsible for nominating women rather than political parties. Awour said that would prevent party leaders from selecting their “daughters, sisters, relatives and slay-queens,” whom she said contribute nothing in Parliament.
According to the group, the IEBC should give priority to women who have already shown interest in politics and those who have pushed development and women’s rights causes. Awour specifically said leaders such as Martha Karua, who has long advocated for women’s representation in leadership, should not be excluded.
Peace Society of Kenya ambassador Jared Onyari backed the constitutional argument, saying, “We can’t run away from this constitutional principle. The Supreme Court has pronounced itself on it. It’s about equality and fairness. The world is talking about 50-50 representation.”
