This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
Kenya: Gladys Shollei Tables Bill to Increase Women MPs ¶
On Wednesday, Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Boss Shollei tabled the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the National Assembly, seeking to create at least 179 positions for women in Parliament and county assemblies through elections and not party nominations.
Ms Shollei wants to abolish the 47 women MP slots and the post-election gender top-ups in the Senate and county assemblies. Currently, about 18 women are nominated in the Senate and in county assemblies, women make the majority of the over 800 nomination slots.
The proposed amendment comes just days after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission verified 1.2 million signatures collected by Thirdway Alliance Party for their Punguza Mizigo referendum drive that seeks to reduce the number of MPs in the National Assembly from 349 to 94.
"The proposal seeks to entrench gender equality and the inclusion of historically marginalised persons in the representation of the people by serving a minimum number of seats in Parliament for women and persons with disability," Ms Shollei, who chairs the House Committee on Delegated Legislation, says.
The Bill proposes to amend the Constitution to have 94 senators elected in the counties, a man and woman elected in each devolved unit. On top of this, the Bill is also proposing that political parties, based on their strength in the House, nominate six senators - four of whom shall represent persons with disabilities and two members representing the youth and elderly members of the society.
Ms Shollei notes that it is a requirement under the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (UNCCPR) to implement the law that requires that not more than two-thirds of elective and appointive positions in public bodies shall be of the same gender.
