All eyes are on Kenya’s parliamentary leaders to see if they have the will to achieve the Constitutional amendment for gender equality to raise female representation in elected office. Kenyan lawyer and women’s rights advocate Mary Chege explains why the two-thirds gender rule, a bill necessary to effect the change,  is making some members of Kenya’s Parliament uncomfortable.

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 in Article 27(8) of the Bill of Rights provides that: “The State shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender.” This provision is also reiterated in Article 81(b) on the principles of the electoral system and is commonly referred to as “the gender principle”.  Unfortunately, the constitution did not stipulate how to implement this provision, leaving it to the Courts to figure out.  Since then, members of Kenya’s parliament have come to blows debating the issue.

What’s going on and what’s at stake for women in Kenya?  Listen here to Mary Chege’s insight on the issue.

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