Ruto asks parliament to increase the number of MPs
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Ruto asks parliament to increase the number of nominated female MPs to meet the two-third gender rule
Ruto asks parliament to increase the number of nominated female MPs to meet the two-third gender rule.
President William Ruto now wants Members of Parliament to amend the Constitution and increase the number of nominated MPs in the bicameral Parliament.
On Friday, December 9, Ruto wrote to the National Assembly and Senate speakers pleading with them to take his suggestion into consideration in order to implement the constitutional requirement for gender representation based on the two-thirds gender rule.
The President reaffirmed his commitment to averting the same impasse between the Executive and the Judiciary that existed under the administration of his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta.
His plan calls for National Assembly members to designate 24 more women as MPs in order to make up the shortfall of the 97 women needed to reach the constitutionally mandated threshold.
Similarly to this, their Senate colleagues must nominate 16 more female senators than they already have.
“For the National Assembly, the effect of this formula would establish one-third at 97 members. There already exist 47 affirmative action seats dedicated to women’s leadership.
The maximum number of seats required to fulfill the constitutional threshold would therefore be only 50,” the letter read in part.
Former Chief Justice, David Maraga, urged Uhuru to dissolve the Parliament, an advisory that escalated the conflict between the two leaders.
Maraga, later on, demanded Uhuru’s impeachment after the former president declined to heed his call.
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As regards the implications of his proposal, the President acknowledged that the implementation of the two-third gender rule would come at an extra cost owing to the additional resources needed to pay the members and overall recurrent expenditure.
However, he assured that the investment in women’s empowerment would be worthwhile and would pay-off eventually.
“I believe that trading off the increase in the parliamentary wage bill with the achievement of compliant inclusion of women in Parliament is eminently worthwhile. I, therefore, encourage you to seriously consider it,” Ruto added in the letter.
In addition, the President asked members to consider a proposal to create a Senate oversight fund to enable senators to work efficiently in their oversight of the county government and other state departments.
The President directed the members to entrench the Oversight Fund alongside the National Government Constituency Development Fund as earlier proposed by a section of MPs.
“The proposed insertion of an Article 204A to establish the National Government Constituency Development, Senate Oversight, and the National Government Affirmative Action Funds to be drawn out of the national government’s shareable revenue, in my considered opinion, are sufficient for purposes of conformity with the express and implicit parameters set out by the constitutional court,” he stated.
In addition, Ruto called on MPs in both houses to avoid polarising the nation while considering the proposals. He underscored the need to maintain a harmonious relationship at a time when the country was recovering from a gruesome campaign season.
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