Nominated MP David Sankok has come under fire following his comments that 'women without husbands but bear children with different men lack integrity'.
The lawmaker, in a widely circulated video ostensibly from a press conference, claimed that such women, in seeking nominations in line with the proposed Gender Bill, have failed the integrity test spelled out in Chapter Six of the Constitution.
"We must invoke Chapter 6 for all women who will seek nomination slots in Parliament. All those who will be nominated for gender top up and they are not married, must parade their children, DNA taken and then we see if they are from one man, they will have passed the integrity test."
"If we find that they have been sired by a Luo, Maasai, Kalenjin, Indian and a Mzungu
- white man, they you have not passed the integrity test," Sankok said, calling such women prostitutes.
Kenyans on social media took a swipe at the MP - nominated to present interests of persons living with disabilities, saying he is not worth being recognised as a leader.
A twitter user @
said: "Someone ask him about male MPs should they be married and how many mpangos are they allowed to have? What if we have one who has a child with a Kamba, a Kikuyu, Luo etc are they qualified in his reasoning?"
"Why are we here? Aren't these the same people fighting for insurance and benefits for their "side mamas"," another user tweeted.
"What kind of leaders are we having in parliament?? Does this MP really think he represents any constituency?? I think we are doomed if we continue to have these kind of so called leaders," @kndei tweeted.
Lucile Onyango said the MP should tell Kenyans how marriage can be used as a test of good standing in the society.
"My God..If this is the calibre of MPS that we have...We might as well shut down that parliament.There is nothing Hon about this man's remarks.Can we also apply the same test to him? This is just too low..since when was marriage a test for integrity? His is the epitome of foolishness," she said.
Some of the commentators asked the Jubilee Party to consider reviewing Sankok's nomination.
"Jubilee Party,
please get rid of this nominated MP. He doesn't deserve to be one anyway. He's bloviating all the time," said
.
Cleophas Otieno said: "He
doesn't know women can and should make own choices. Marriage is no yardstick for integrity. Women get the kids from men, flip that!"
Others, opposed to MPs' push for medical cover for more than one wife,
praised him 'for saying the truth'.
Parliamentarians are currently pushing for more perks, a move that has attracted criticism from Kenyans led by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"The guy talks the truth, but slayqueens sympathisers
will not agree with him. If one can not raise a pure family,how can she lead us?" one Sam said.