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Kenya: Political Parties Sign Pact to Enforce Gender Rule

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By Judie Kaberia

Political parties and the Centre for Multi-party Democracy (CMD) have recently resolved to implement the two thirds gender rule to promote representation of women in political leadership after attempts to enforce it in Parliament flopped.

CMD Chairman James Magara said the institution will monitor political parties to ensure they expose those who do not abide by the commitment they made.

“Some of us actually play to the gallery. We do not practice what we preach. But the commitment signed here today, I want to assure these members here (political party) mean business and they have appended their signatures in broad daylight; we can bring them to account,” he explained.

Magara explained it will be tested by the results of the August General Election.

Part of the agreement signed on Tuesday requires parties to nominate not less than 30 percent of women candidates to participate in the August General Election.

That however, he warned did not translate into women sitting and waiting for seats to be dished out to them.

He urged them to participate actively.

Magara urged players in the political sphere to make the environment conducive for women and also give them subsidized nomination fees.

“Eliminate violence in party elections and party nomination exercise by strictly enforcing our party rules and taking concerted actions against violators of our rules,” he stated.

NARC Kenya Chair Martha Karua said though there was commendable progress in achieving gender parity, it was not enough until women representation equaled that of men.

“The quest for women’s inclusion in politics and decision making is a journey that started a while ago. The progress we have made up to now is the proof this is not just a talk shop, we have made significant progress; we have the quotas in the Constitution we are determined to achieve the goals until we get to 50-50,” she stated.

Source: Capital FM

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