Don't force governors to have female deputies - MP

Budalang’i MP Raphael Wanjala on Saturday created a storm when he said that governors should not be forced to pick a running mate of the opposite gender.

Speaking at the BBI rally in Narok County, Wanjala claimed that gender issues are never legislated in a democratic society.

“You can’t force a governor that to be a governor he must have a female running mate. They are not entering into a marriage,” Wanjala said.

The legislator added: This is legislation and democracy. When someone comes out to vote they vote for someone they want.”

He noted that when sent on a benchmarking trip to Germany in the company of five others, he was told by his white friends that Africans should abandon the habit of having things forced down their throats.

“We went on benchmarking on legislation affairs on gender issues and those whites told us like this, I was not alone, we were five of us.”

He reiterated that the 2010 constitution is giving Kenya problems because of populism brought in when there is work in progress.

His remarks did not, however, go well with female legislators who were at the rally.

The taskforce in its report had recommended that the running mate of every candidate for the position of governor be of the opposite gender.

In the last General Election, only Ann Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Charity Ngilu (Kitui) and the late Joyce Laboso (Bomet) succeeded in capturing county seats that have remained male-dominated.

The country currently has eight female deputy governors, among them Evalyn Aruasa Chepkurui (Narok), Fatuma Mohamed Achami (Kwale), Susan Kikwai Chepkoech (Kericho) and Andelina Mwau Ndeto (Makueni).

This week, Kiambu Governor James Nyoro has nominated Joyce Wanjiku Ngugi as his deputy.

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