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{
    "id": 701823,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/701823/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 137,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Chepkong’a",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1154,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Kiprono Chepkonga",
        "slug": "samuel-kiprono-chepkonga"
    },
    "content": "Thank you for that guidance, Hon. Speaker. As a Committee, we have considered this Bill. It does not limit fundamental rights and freedoms. It, however, concerns counties in accordance with Article 110 of the Constitution. This enactment shall not occasion any additional expenditure. As a consequence of this Bill being published and read for the First Time, we held a number of meetings. We held two meetings at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort, Mombasa, on 15th and 16th July 2015. We invited a number of stakeholders to discuss the import of this Bill. The stakeholders who attended the meeting were the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the Women’s Empowerment Link (WEL) and the National Women Steering Committee (NWSC). We received joint memoranda submitted from the KNCHR, Uraia Trust, NWSC, WEL, the International Federation of Women Lawyers - Kenya (FIDA), Maendeleo ya Wanawake, the Youth Agenda, the African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), Ground Trust, GROOTS, Future’s Trust, Centre for Rights Education and Awareness, Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), Action Aid, African Women and Child and the United Disabled Persons of Kenya (UPDK). The memoranda were signed by women and men, equally, in respect of this joint memorandum. The other memorandum we received was from the Theluthi Mbili Multisectoral Stakeholder Forum and Centre for Multiparty Democracy of Kenya (CMD). The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) also participated in this conference. We discussed a number of options that could be considered by the Committee while discussing and deliberating upon this Bill. We considered almost 15 possible situations in seeking to achieve Article 27(8) of the Constitution. While considering all of them, we came to the conclusion just like the Supreme Court, that the implementation of this gender rule cannot be instantaneous. It is not like instant coffee. It is something that is progressive in society. It is not something that you can achieve at once. We are not saying we are against women. What we are saying is that there are deep-rooted cultures in this country which you cannot overwhelm or overthrow overnight. There are some men who still believe this is a male society. If you look at some communities that are represented in this House, there are some communities which have completely refused to elect women except in the positions reserved for the 47 women. As you know, my community is very progressive. We elected over seven women in 2007, but there are communities which are conservative in nature. They cannot be blamed for their cultures. We must accept that we must live together and The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}