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{
    "id": 1067087,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1067087/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 81,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba North, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Odhiambo-Mabona",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 376,
        "legal_name": "Millie Grace Akoth Odhiambo Mabona",
        "slug": "millie-odhiambo-mabona"
    },
    "content": "waiting for the proverbial white smoke because, if we did not get it right, the country was going down the drain. People expected that we would weigh in very substantive issues; devolution, system of governance, human rights, amongst a myriad of issues. We passed Chapter 1 on the first day, Chapter 2 on the second day and Chapter 3 on the third day. We stopped when it came to the issue of women representation. If you look at the original draft, we had a bigger number of women that we wanted, but our male colleagues from Parliament, and not even the group of experts, refused. We had to reduce the over 140 women Members of Parliament to 47. I used to be a hardliner on women issues and still I am but to some degree, I have softened. I had refused and stated that we were not moving forward, but Hon. Martha Karua called me aside and told me that in the constitutional-making process, it is about giving and taking. She told me that you will not always get what you want, but it is okay if you get the substantive things that you want. I will speak selfishly as Hon. Millie Odhiambo, a woman leader who came to Parliament on affirmative action to represent a minority of the Subas in Suba North. I can say that we got what we want and I will support the BBI. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, we have struggled as Parliament to ensure that the two- thirds gender rule is effected, but we have failed miserably. Our male colleagues here have asked us to buy them breakfast, lunch and dinner, dance, sit, jump and frog-march but, when it comes to voting, we do not even get the numbers. We are getting an opportunity to pig-ride on BBI and I want to ask women who are committed to women issues to support the BBI because the Senate will give us the numbers. I find it curious when Members talk about a bloated Parliament and it only comes up when we are discussing women issues. I do not hear people talking about a bloated Parliament when it comes to 70 extra constituencies but, everybody is complaining why their constituencies have not been divided. This means that we will be happy if we are 600 Members as long as our constituencies have been divided and we can go back to our counties to tell them that we have added them more constituencies. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I have heard other Members saying that we are not doing the right thing for women by removing the women representatives’ position. That is the farthest from the truth. I walked in and I think I was smartly dressed because people were telling me that this is a beautiful dress and I will come with another design tomorrow. How you love my dress is a matter of choice but in the end, I am well dressed and covered. That is what we are saying of women. Are you covered or not? The process does not matter. We are getting women empowered. I came here on affirmative action and people were saying that we will not be regarded. It is part of what you must deal with in politics because there are always highs and lows. Hon. Amollo was up to a few minutes ago, the Vice-Chair of JLAC but he is no longer there and it is part of politics. You must learn to live with it."
}