Shollei upbeat court will quash order stopping vetting of PSs

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei has asked the courts to quash the orders barring Parliament from vetting principal secretaries nominees.

Shollei said that the appointments were balanced and represented the country well in terms of composition.

“I have confidence in the courts that they will quash the order refraining Parliament from vetting principal secretaries appointed by President Ruto,” she said.

She said that the appointments did not lack regional balance, as claimed by the courts.

The Deputy Speaker was at the inaugural Convention of Women Rights Organisations in Kenya in Nairobi.

The convention saw numerous women’s rights groups from across the country express their views on what they want done to advance women’s rights.

Women’s Rights Advisor to the Office of the President, Harriet Chiggai, affirmed Shollei’s confidence in the courts.

Chiggai said the government had made efforts to appoint more women in Cabinet and key agencies.

“Seven women were picked as Cabinet Secretaries and three were picked as advisors to the president,” she said.

She expressed optimism about the country making incremental progress in the implementation of the two-third gender parity.

Chiggai asked civil society groups to be part of the solution toward achieving gender parity.

“You need to be part and parcel of the solution towards the challenges facing the country rather than criticising the government each and every moment,” she said.

"Agitate for quality and inclusion from a positive standpoint and not negative activism."

Chiggai said there is a need to unify women groups and shun constant infightings likely to derail the implementation of the rights of women in the country.