700 women MCAs oppose plan to scrap position

By PATRICK  BEJA  

Kenya: More than 700 women members of county assemblies (MCAs) have criticised a plan by Parliament to scrap the position of nominated county assembly member to manage the runaway wage bill.

The women leaders claimed the move is aimed at crippling devolution and women empowerment, adding that if Mps have their way, they will be in breach of the Constitution because the one-third gender rule will not be met in counties.

The MCAs noted that there will be a constitutional crisis if their nominated counterparts are removed from the county assemblies as most nominations went to women to achieve the mandatory one third gender balance.

Under the county assemblies’ women legislators empowerment forum, the MCAs who included counties assembly speakers said it was premature for the country to scuttle devolution.

 They urged Parliament to protect devolution for the sake of development.

They were reacting to threats by MPs to remove all 800 nominated MCAs from office yesterday when they attended their forum conference at a Mombasa hotel.

The conference will culminate in to a summit for all 2,000 MCAs under the County Assemblies Forum (CAF) at the same venue tomorrow, to assess and celebrate the one-year-old devolution in the country. 

Some MCAs claimed the Jubilee government is using MPs to undermine devolution and urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to make his stand clear on the matter.

“Women should not be treated as children of a lesser God. It does not matter how they got to the county assemblies. They are a product of the Constitution and should be respected,” said Nakuru county speaker Susan Kihika.

She said the one-third gender clause is anchored in the Constitution because women did not have a fair deal in the elections and yet they should be part of the decision making process.