The UON Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub (WEE Hub), presented a memorandum on the realization of the two thirds gender principle on behalf of Women’s organization, to the Multisectoral Working Group. The group’s recommendation entailed amendment of article 97 and 98 of the constitutions as to insert the road map for the attainment of the not more than two-thirds gender rule in the National Assembly and Senate. The group noted that the implementation of the two thirds gender rule was anchored within the act of parliament instead of the constitution. “We are a group of national women’s organizations who have been pushing for affirmative action, particularly the implementation of the two thirds gender rule”, noted Ms. Wambui Kanyi, a Research Associate with AWSC, UON. The group also proposed the nomination of a women’s representation member in the parliament and senate. They insisted that the nominations be done by women’s organizations and not through the political parties. They noted that political parties may not always nominate women who are best suited to hold the positions to which they are nominated. “At times the parties don’t look at the interest of the category that is going to be represented”, added Ms. Kanyi.

As she elaborated further on this Ms. Kanyi said, “Women have been in and out of the supreme court pursuing the implementation of the two-thirds. As women we are passionate and we believe that women have something to offer when they get in to leadership. Women’s experiences and women’s perspectives do not inform the policies at any level. Therefore, these policies will not address their concerns”. The presentation argued that women need to be included in the decision making and positions of power so that they can better contribute to the welfare of their children and families.

In addition to this Wee hub also proposed that the nominated position will not just represent women but they will also address the issues of other marginalized women groups such as persons with disabilities. “When women are there, they don’t just carry their agenda, they also carry the agenda of those other marginalized groups”, argued Ms. Kanyi. Ms. Kanyi also made it clear that their agenda does not push for competition and discrimination against men. “Note, it is not that women want to leave the men behind. Men are our suns, brothers and fathers. We have to move together to address the concerns in our society”, she said.

Moreover, WEE Hub informed that these concerns were actually from the women themselves. “We work with women from the grass roots. These proposals you are hearing are actually from the women. So, if they are innovative, it is because women have seen the challenges which they are saying needs to be addressed”, said Dr. Agnes Meroka, a Researcher with AWSC, UON.

The presentation was positively received by the Multi-sectoral Working Group and applauded for being innovative. “I love the proposal, especially the idea of having different caucus for bringing in women, because I think that has really been the challenge, about how to feed that pipeline with women who are carrying the women’s agenda”, said the Co-chair Daisy Amdany. Sarah Muhoya, a member of the working group also added, “I think you are bringing in an important question, let us not be shy to say we’ve not just lost the two thirds, we’ve also lost our agency in a big way and let’s push for it because if we don’t push for it nobody will”.

The memorandum was presented at the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) on Tuesday 14th November 2023. WEE Hub is a program of African Women Studies Centre (AWSC) at the University of Nairobi. Other representation among the WEE Hub presenters were the members of Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization led by the chairperson Ambassador Rukia Subow and County secretary Maendeleo ya Wanawake Muranga County, Jane Kamwaga, as well as Researcher Caroline Nyakinyua, Chancellor Muthoni Kihara, among other members.  

Click the link below to read more on the Multi-sectoral Working Group,

https://gazettes.africa/archive/ke/2023/ke-government-gazette-dated-2023-08-15-no-182.pdf