Raila assures women on Gender rule

By Anderson Ojwang’

and George Olwenya

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has assured women that the Cabinet has no plans to interfere with the two-thirds provision for gender in the Constitution.

Raila said the media got it wrong by claiming that the Cabinet wanted the clause removed because it could create a constitutional crisis.

"The Cabinet never intended to subvert the constitutional requirement on affirmative action and we are committed to implementing the Constitution. We are only working within the law to create special seats for women to enable us fulfil the requirement," he said.

Raila’s assurance came as outraged women condemned the alleged plans by the Cabinet to deny them the two-thirds representation.

Led by former Gender and Sports PS Mrs Rachael Dzombo, the women vowed not to sit back and watch the ministers interfere with the Kenyan-friendly constitution.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) also termed the move by the Cabinet to propose amendments in the new Constitution, sinister and ill motivated.

While addressing members of LSK during a gala dinner and farewell party of Attorney General, Amos Wako at Leisure Lodge, Mombasa, Chairman Kenneth Akide argued that those proposing the amendments were anti-reformists who were setting a bad precedent.

Affirmative Action

Raila, however, said the Government would stick to the affirmative action section as provided for in the new Constitution and the Cabinet only wanted to look for an alternative that would make the gender requirement workable while complying with the Constitution.

But women leaders led by Assistant minister Elizabeth Ongoro, PM’s wife, Ida Odinga and ODM Nyanza co-ordinator, Monica Amolo urged the women to stand up and protect their rights.

They maintained that women should not be robbed of gains they had achieved after many years of fighting for the new political dispensation.

The leaders were addressing hundreds of mourners during the burial of Raila’s cousin, Monicah Ajuma, in Uyoma, Rarieda District.

Present at the funeral were assistant ministers Dr Oburu Oginga, Ayiecho Olweny, MPs Nicholas Gumbo, Magerer Lang’at and Jakoyo Midiwo.