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{
    "id": 678024,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/678024/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 237,
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    "content": "saying the truth, so what? Does a woman sleeping with another man make her ineligible to be a leader? It does not. That is why we need to take more steps than just amending the Constitution and saying there will be one-third women. We must completely level the playing field to make sure women candidates have an equal opportunity to compete with men. When they are given that equal opportunity, their capacity is even better and higher. We are parents and we have daughters. I would like to see my daughters competing with other Kenyans for positions of public leadership and any other woman anywhere. When we were in Naivasha crafting the Constitution, we left Naivasha with general consensus that the electoral seats called Women Representatives that go to the National Assembly, 47 of them, were to be given to them for 20 years. In other words, they were to go through that process of electing County Women Representatives to the National Assembly for four elections. Thereafter, that clause was to collapse into a sunset with the hope that then, we shall have built sufficient capacity for our sisters and daughter to face candidates even those who come from areas who go campaigning totting AK 47 rifles. I went to Turkana County and was very impressed by the courage of women. A woman is looking after cattle, she has a child on her back and an AK 47 rifle hanging on her shoulder ready for combat and to repulse any danger from anybody. including a man. I asked these ladies whether they knew how to handle those weapons. One of them said “try me”. These are women in the rural areas who are totally resilient and capable of protecting their loved ones. I want the Senate Majority Leader here to imagine that, that a woman is protecting livestock, family wealth, a child on her back, her life from any danger that may come around. Those are our women. A man will be carrying an AK 47 rifle and nothing else. You will never find a man with a child on his back. As I support this, affirmative action should not be given in perpetuity to any individual. There is a case in the National Assembly where a lady has been nominated four times. That becomes an abuse. It is not just one woman that we are considering in the country. I would like to see - unfortunately I am exiting to a higher seat - those who will be sitting in this Chamber to sit with a lady from El molo; a lady nominated from communities that have been forgotten by leadership in this country. If you look at the manner in which we nominate, it leaves a lot to be desired. I have been giving an example of a lady in Garissa County called Mama Salado. She was on the streets of Nairobi fighting for multipartyism with the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the late Masinde Muliro, Bamaris, hon. Kenneth Matiba, hon. Charles Rubia and the late Martin Shikuku. She remained consistent in her fight. However, because of where she comes from where clan politics is at play, the clan never considered her as a leader to front her for election. She is a member of my party. Successive party leaders of my party just ignored her, but she remained resilient and committed. If you go to Garissa, you will find her with flowers to welcome you. She is using her little position. I was so happy that I put her on the nomination list. She is now a nominated Member of County of Assembly (MCA) at the age of 73. In the County Assembly of Garissa, she was given the honour to be the majority Whip by the CORD coalition. I feel very happy about this mama . 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"
}