MP Proposes Scrapping of Woman Representative Seat in New Bill

Uasin Gishu County Woman Representative Gladys Boss Shollei has drafted an amendment Bill seeking to have the Woman Rep seat scrapped off.

Shollei says her Bill aims at increasing the number of women elected to the National Assembly. In the Bill tabled in Parliament last week, Shollei proposes the combining of two constituencies to form one constituency that will be reserved exclusively for women, while the existing 290 constituencies will be vied for by both genders.

 “The essence of the bill is to add more women in Parliament through an election and not through nomination,” Ms Shollei said.

“Party nominations have always been abused by party leaders who nominate their mistresses and cronies,” added Shollei, who is the chair of the National Assembly’s Committee on Delegated Legislation.

Leader of Majority Aden Duale has also published another Bill that seeks to address the two-thirds gender rule, but Shollei says there is a huge difference between the Duale Bill and hers.

The former Registrar of Judiciary said her Bill proposes increasing the number of women to Parliament through an election as opposed to Duale's.

“My bill also includes the law relating to nominations of Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) where three wards will be paired and reserved for the election of women MCAs,” explained Ms Shollei.

“My bill will have a watershed effect. I believe that having women contest twice competitively will lay a softer ground for them to run effectively for political seats. For them, the affirmative action stops,” the Jubilee MP added.