Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale on Tuesday, December 20, caused a stir in the Senate when he told Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba that he competently understands matters gender because he has "many wives and several daughters".
Khalwale made the remarks while supporting the proposal to have the impeachment motion against Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza heard by an 11-member special committee.
Khalwale, who is a member of the proposed committee, said a special team would grant Governor Mwangaza a fair hearing compared to the plenary.
During his address in the House, Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba rose on a point of order, triggering an animated reaction from Khalwale.
Senator Orwoba wanted the committee membership to have more women, saying it would accord Governor Mwangaza a fair hearing.
"We will be cat-walking if we thought today we are meeting to make a decision based on gender," said Senator Khalwale.
"We have read out the charges [against Governor Kawira Mwangaza]. None of the seven charges is about gender. It is about issues which we don't know about," said Khalwale.
During Khalwale's speech, Senator Orwoba attempted to rise on a point of order, sparking a further reaction by the Kakamega Senator.
"I know she (Orwoba) has promised that she wants to school me on matters gender. Really?" posed Khalwale.
"Let me tell her that I was elected by more than 250,000 people in Kakamega, men and women, and the women were the majority. So, I know issues of gender. I have many children, the majority of them are girls, I know matters gender.
"Mr Speaker, I have more than one wife, I know matters of gender. She can't school me [on gender], excuse me my daughter. You have to apologise to the bullfighter of Kakamega," said Khalwale.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi chimed in, saying: "Senator Boni, to us, you are an honourable senator, you are not a bullfighter."
Khalwale's time ran out before he could respond.
Senator Orwoba, thereafter, rose on a point of order, saying that treating women as "lesser equals" in Parliament shouldn't be the norm.
"You cannot come to the Senate and institute discrimination by trying to convince this House that there is a formula that says when you have less women at the table of representation, then that is the formula that Kenyans should accept because it works best for gender. That is misleading the House," said Orwoba.
"To Senator Khalwale, this is not about bullfighting, or how many women [you have]. Mr Speaker, this is a matter of representation, and you should not allow the conversations that are going on in this House to continue," said Orwoba.
Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei faulted Orwoba for emphasising on gender, saying that the matter at hand, was the impeachment of a sitting governor, and not the gender composition of a special committee.
"I would like to bring to the attention of Senator Gloria Orwoba that the women and men in this House are all equal. We cannot speak on one side saying we are equal, then on the other side we're saying the lesser the number [of a certain gender] the less equal we are. I am convinced that the team that has been picked hasn't been picked on the basis of gender, but because they are qualified and are able to prosecute the matter that is before the Senate," said Senator Sigei.
The 11 members proposed to the special committee to hear the impeachment motion against Governor Mwangaza are Boni Khalwale, Jackson Mandago, Karungo Thangwa, Esther Okenyuri, Ali Roba, Peris Tobiko, Eddy Oketch, Githuku Kamau, Edwin Sifuna, Kavindu Muthama and Johnes Mwaura.
The senators opposed to the impeachment motion being heard by the committee, including Okiya Omtata (Busia), Samson Cherargei (Nandi) and Senator Faki Mwinyihaji (Mombasa), said all the senators should participate directly in the impeachment motion against the county chief.
"We have delegated our role [as the Senate] to 11 people simply because we want to go for Christmas [holiday]," said Senator Cherargei.
Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga, while expressing his support for the 11-member committee, said senators who are not members of the committee are not legally locked out of the special team's proceedings.
"Nobody is locked out from attending the proceedings of the committee. If you are so passionate about following the proceedings, or being part of it, then the doors of the special committee are open for you to attend the sessions. Don't assume that if your name misses on the list, then you don't stand a chance of delivering justice," he said.
If the House approves the special committee, then Governor Kawira Mwangaza will be heard by the committee, and a report tabled within ten days for the entire House to debate on it.
The plenary can adopt or reject the recommendations of the committee's report.
