Women parliamentarians have called for a coordinated national effort to realise the Two-Thirds Gender Rule ahead of the next General Election.
The lawmakers, led by Gilgil MP Martha Wangari, said attaining the constitutional gender principle will require collaboration among Parliament, the media, civil society, development partners, and the public.
Speaking during a legislative forum convened by Mzalendo, with support from Uraia and the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya and Somalia, Wangari said it was regrettable that the constitutional threshold had remained unmet 16 years after the promulgation of the Constitution.
“It’s time we changed tact and work together with the media, civil society, and development partners to build consensus on practical measures to realise the Two-Thirds Gender Rule,” Wangari said at the event attended by members of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association.
Machakos MP Joyce Kamene, Mandera Woman Representative Umul Ker Kassim, Nominated MP Irene Mayaka, and nominated senators Veronica Maina, Catherine Mumma, and Esther Okenyuri backed the proposal.
The leaders emphasized that bipartisan and cross-sector collaboration, including support from male legislators, is essential to increasing women’s representation in elective leadership.
Kamene urged women leaders to mentor aspiring female candidates and uphold high standards of leadership.
“The electorate are always watching and female leaders are judged by harsh standards. We should be good role models,” she said.
Kassim said the campaign for greater women’s representation should be driven at the grassroots level.
“We should get out of the boardrooms and go to the grassroots, if we are serious about increasing the number of female MCAs, MPs, Senators and Governors,” she said.