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"id": 1010003,
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"speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
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"legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
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"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I rise to support this Sessional Paper, although coming 10 years after the passage of the Constitution. At least, it has helped in aligning the current thinking in the Ministry with the provisions of the 2010 Constitution. I want to congratulate the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Labour and Social Welfare because this Sessional Paper was developed in 2019. It has been lying awaiting processing in the Committee. But, at least, now it has left the Committee and was tabled here just a couple of days ago. In the HBC, we realised sessional papers are important because they are the ones that anchor the laws, regulations and budgeting of any sector. Without a guiding policy framework, it becomes difficult. Hence, we fast-tracked the need to get as many sessional papers in the House as possible, so that whenever Members look at the budget, laws and regulations, they can first see where something is anchored in the policy framework. Having this, at least, we can debate and see where the gender issue is in the policy framework and planning of Government. As I was looking at this item on the Order Paper, I share your concerns. I was expecting to see people who are not politically inclined to want to see matters of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission passage. I thought by the time we got to these two sessional papers, we would have a full House given the occurrence of the gender debate since it is almost at the extent of this House being threatened with a dissolution because of gender issues. If you look at the interest by the Members, there is a total disconnect between what we hear out there. I would have liked to see the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) here when we are discussing this, so that they can guide the Kenyan ladies out there. I would also have liked to see a group that goes for… There is somewhere people disappear to during Valentine Day. There is a men’s seminar that people disappear to. I would have liked to see the membership of that seminar here, so that they can tell us gender issues that perhaps according to them should be captured or have not been captured. Or whether their issues have been addressed properly in this policy. Unfortunately, this is the way of life, that when important things are being discussed, the people most affected are not there. When it is passed, they complain later they were left behind. Fortunately, for the female gender, they are very well represented by Hon. Millie Odhiambo who has been an activist on this, Dr. Eva Obara and obviously the substantive Speaker. We thank you. I know Hon. Millie Odhiambo reported earlier because of the Jerusalema dance challenge. A number of Members are nursing aches and muscle injuries because of over practising at high altitudes on top of the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) very early in the morning without warm-ups. The good thing is that, at least, we saw them participate yesterday in empathy with the victims. But today would have been the day to put their voices on what they want done on gender issues. Dr. Amollo has said that the boy child has been marginalised over the last 20 years. Indeed, the emphasis on women empowerment has been going on. If you remember, the first meeting before Beijing was held in 1984. So, we are talking about close to 40 years ago. Since that time, there has been a lot of emphasis on the empowerment of the female gender. It has succeeded, but unfortunately, the boy child has been left behind. We see that happening in the countryside where you are unlikely to see any young girl lying on the roadside drunk in the middle of the day. It is the young men who are supposed to be catering for their future families. If you look at the gender-based violence out there, it is not more about the women, but the young men being made to sleep under the beds or outside. They come home drunk and cannot 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."
}