The Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD-Kenya) in collaboration with other groups organizing under the “Thuluthi Mbili za Mama…Twazitaka Sasa” multi-stakeholder forum mobilized Kenyan to participate in public hearings organized by the Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs on the Constitutional Bills including the two thirds gender laws.
The hearings were held on the 31st July and 1st August 2015 in six Counties of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Isiolo, Nyeri and Trans Nzoia. The hearings were in line with Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution which require Parliament to facilitate public participation and involvement in the legislation and other business of Parliament and its committees.
For the last two months, the “Thuluthi Mbili za Mama…Twazitaka Sasa” multi-stakeholder forum has been conducting a nationwide campaign in support of the Technical Working Group (TWG) Bill which proposes the immediate realization of the ‘not more than two-thirds gender principle’ in Parliament. The public hearings presented yet another opportunity for women leaders under the “Thuluthi Mbili Za Mama…Twazitaka Sasa” movement to present their position to the law makers and also lobby them to defeat the infamous Chepkonga Bill that proposes Constitutional amendment for progressive realization of the gender quota in Parliament. Women were well mobilized and the hearings well attended. In all Counties, the Women presented a Thuluthi Mbili Za Mama Memorandum to the Committee which spelt out their position on the subject.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly Majority Leader, Hon. Aden Duale has tabled a Constitutional Amendment Bill which seeks to amend the Constitution to allow for the creation of special seats for women. The Bill will see an extension of the August 27 deadline for the two-thirds gender rule implementation