KENYAN WOMEN ARISE - THE ATTACK IS ON!

Kenyan women have been marginalized for more than 40 years. The new constitution made an end to this historical farce by including Article 81(b) which says: “Not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender.” This meant that at least 72 or the 290 constituencies must elect women MPs, in addition to the 47 county seats set aside for them.


However, this week the government of President Mwai Kibaki proposed to drop this new constitutional requirement claiming that it would be "technically impossible to achieve". This would deny Kenyan women the opportunity availed under the new constitution to hold a third of elective posts in the country and hence continued marginalization of women in this "progressive" republic.


The Kenyan women are rising up and are stirring a storm. They have sworn to fight and vowed they will not budge an inch. They have come too far to look back again.


Resources:
Daily Nation
BBC
Kenya up to date - Blog