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{
    "id": 1544885,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1544885/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 518,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "consider so that we do not just have specially nominated Senators who have no power to influence decisions where it matters. I know that there has been a discussion on whether or not we need women in leadership. It is very unfortunate considering what has happened recently. We have lost the G7 Members to G6 Members on the impeachment of Governor Kawira Mwangaza. We must understand that as we are making strides in terms of gender representation and women empowerment, there are many things that need to be dealt with in these spaces. One of them is looking into policies on how we approach matters from a gender lens. We have to understand that it is not just about nominating or pushing women into the spaces of politics, but ensuring that we can be mentored and guided. Therefore, we can also be able to positively impact this politics or governance and also sustain those seats. It was very sad to have watched the several Impeachment Motions of Governor Kawira and participated in some of them that were in Plenary. The matters that came up in all those Impeachment Motions that were tabled, you could see what was lacking was that there was no gender lens even in the submissions of the impeachment. I do not want to stand in this “Upper House”, this very prestigious House, to say that most of the things that are happening are because of patriarchy. Nonetheless, allow me to say that in the Kenyan or African culture, we have inculcated a very patriarchal tradition in the ways that we live, communicate and conduct business. You can tell that we still have a long way to go. I speak this in the background of what is happening in New York. We have seen that the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is pushing the agenda of women empowerment and representation of women that we keep talking about. Consequently, in line with the theme of the International Women's Day which is Accelerate Action, we have to start actioning the policies and proposals that we are tabling. We have to start being intentional in terms of, do we want to have women in these spaces of representation. If we do, we have to be intentional, starting from this country. I have just seen that we have had many changes in the Executive. There has been a memo that has been circulated in terms of change in office for principal secretaries, ambassadors and all those changes that have happened. I was holding my breath hoping that we, as the women of Kenya, had been given a Cabinet Secretary for Gender. It has not happened yet. That is why I say that we have to be intentional. At the background of everything that is happening, we also have to hold ourselves accountable. I am specially nominated under my party, which I remain loyal to, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). I am pushing the agenda of the Kenya Kwanza Women Charter, which I was leading in drafting and presenting. Our President put his signature and promised the women of Kenya that he was going to do certain things. He was going to ensure that the women of Kenya will feel represented and even feel the impact of this Government in terms of certain matters that just touch on our lives as women in this country. I cannot belabour the point of what has been happening on the front of femicide and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) reports, and those that have not even been reported. We have lost so many women when it comes to gender-based violence. We have spoken"
}