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{
    "id": 1017382,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1017382/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 134,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Were",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13183,
        "legal_name": "Petronila Were Lokorio",
        "slug": "petronila-were-lokorio"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, my main interest and why I am happy today is that the country is having a conversation on this issue of women, especially women in leadership. My focus is mainly on why we are in this position in the first place. For a long time, the country has not been able to elect women into Parliament. That is where the problem is and our focus should be; how should we deal with the cultural issues that prevent fellow women from voting for women leaders? What cultural issues prevent men from voting for women leaders? That is where our focus should be. Our second focus should be on political parties, which is the primary source where leaders are nurtured and given to us. What should political parties do? What should political party leaders do? In areas where political parties have strongholds, like Jubilee in the former Rift Valley and Central provinces, Amani National Congress (ANC) in Western, and then Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in Nyanza, the party leaders of those parties in those areas should make sure that we have women, who are strong, given direct tickets and many other ways or mechanisms of making sure women are elected to come to this Parliament. Forcing parliamentarians to vote for women or for the women agenda is a tall order because they have to answer to their cultural encumbrances back in their homes. They have to respond to the needs of their elders. They also have their hands tied on this issue. We should look beyond what the Chief Justice, Hon, Maraga has raised and look at the key issue on why women are not voted for and look for solutions. Even as we look forward to enacting laws to meet this Two-Thirds Gender Rule, we should focus on amending the Elections Act, the Political Parties Act and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Act to reflect that fact, to ensure that women come by right to this House. This is so that when they come to this House, they also have voting powers and not what we experience now with nominated Members. I thank you. I support the Motion."
}