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{
    "id": 600645,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/600645/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 218,
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    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "We thank the President because he has been very clear with the agenda. The only challenge that we face is when it comes to Parliament. I plead with Kenyans that let us not look at the cost but first ask ourselves how we can heal this country. When I look at the Council of Governors (CoG), for example, I am saddened when I consider the issue of the two-thirds gender representation. That is why maybe at the county level, their performance is very low. If it was a woman who was collecting revenue, she would think of how to ensure that the young women and those living with disability can participate in developing a county. They will be looking at very different priorities than what we see our governors dealing with today. Women will always look at a sector that will ensure we can move to the next level for the next 20 years. I remember the days when our Chairperson was elected. Today, the men here and even the young Senators like us who have come in have forgotten that at one point, Sen. Mugo and Sen. Ongoro, our Chairperson were elected leaders and their constituencies were thriving at one time. When you go there today, many of their constituents are crying. The electorate there wishes these women would have remained their Members of Parliament (MPs). If you visit Hon. Kilimo’s Marakwet Constituency, the situation is the same. This is because their priorities were right. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as a country and as leaders, we are staggering and fighting amongst ourselves. It is not even “Wanjiku”. “Wanjiku” is now willing to see women move to higher positions and even clinch the presidency of this country. However, just because of finances, a woman in Kenya today struggles to campaign in order to secure a seat. What the IPU report now brings to the table of Parliament is that we must ensure that we also have political parties that appreciate that women can also be the neck of our political parties. That is where women lack in the first place and, therefore, they are left out in the decisions that are made. Women are left out during the nomination processes and they do not get fair play. For example, if governors are supposed to pay a nomination fee of Kshs1 million, where will a woman get such money? However, if you have a party that is sensitive, then it will look at affirmative action to ensure we have a fair playing ground. Today, our political parties are so masculine. Even where women will want to bring the voice of women at the lower level of that pyramid, men will now want to go and ensure--- However, they will tell you the safe vote is a woman’s vote. I also challenge women today that it is time that we took our position, especially at the county level. I wish women could take up positions so that we start changing the thinking at the county level, that there is a representative seat for women. During the last campaigns, women were being told that: “That is your seat.” Everyone, including the old women, were saying: “We understand you have a seat.” That notion was used to manipulate people not to vote in women through the single constituencies and even the other positions. As we move on with the campaigns, I plead with our colleagues especially in the Senate to support this. You can see how women have been given positions by their parties in this Senate although they still have to fight with men. Today, it was evident that everyone was jittery and they could not imagine. It is at that time where the political The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}