• Speaker Muturi says Bill will take Kenya back to the dark ages and undermine devolution.
• Bill flopped at the second reading when it failed to be seconded
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has lauded the Lamu county assembly for shooting down the Punguza Mizigo Bill, saying it seeks to demean women leadership.
Muturi cited the fact the Bill seeks to scrap the woman representative position.
The Speaker said the Bill will only take Kenya "back to the dark ages" and destroy devolution.
Speaking in Lamu on Saturday, Muturi said the Punguza Mizigo Bill fronted by Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot has no space in a democracy like Kenya.
“At a time when we are fighting to ensure equity in leadership and representation for both men and women of this country, Punguza Mizigo, or is it Ongeza Mizigo, has no place for that. How can you remove nominated and woman rep positions bearing in mind women in this nation have been lagging behind in political leadership?” Muturi said.
He praised Lamu MCAs for "saving this country the disgrace that would have been caused by such a Bill".
Last week, the Bill flopped at the second reading when it failed to be seconded after being presented by Hongwe MCA James Komu.
According to house Standing Orders, if a bill lacks a seconder it stands suspended for six months after which it may be retabled.
“People don’t know that citizens are enlightened. They just sit in Nairobi and come up with proposals which don’t add any value to mwananchi. But I am impressed that people are learned. They looked at the Bill and saw it wasn’t worth to be passed. They threw it to the bins," Muturi said.
Lamu assembly speaker Abdul Kassim said among the many reasons for rejecting the Bill was the clause proposing reduction of constituencies.
Kassim said the assembly was now waiting for the Building Bridges Initiative for scrutiny.
Lamu Woman Representative Ruweida Obbo said she wouldn’t support any Bill that seeks to demean women leadership.
She urged Thirdway Alliance members to join hands with the government to build and not break Kenya.
“We’re happy that for once we have a Constitution that gives women leadership positions in counties. Many motions on gender balance rarely make it because women leaders are so few in the houses. Punguza Mizigo initiative is so unfair and selfish and I am glad the Lamu rejected it,” Obbo said.
Lamu now joins the growing list of counties that have rejected Aukot's bill including Nairobi, Mandera, Kiambu, Nyeri, Siaya, Homa Bay, Murang’a, Nakuru, Makueni, Kirinyaga and Nyamira.
The bill needs to be passed by 24 county assemblies to be tabled in the National Assembly and Senate for approval.
Edited by R Wamochie