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Why female MPs are wearing white headscarfs in Parliament – PHOTOS


Kenyans were on Wednesday startled when all female MPs attended the afternoon session in Parliament dressed in headscarfs.

The MPs  donned white ‘kilembas’ to protest the delay in the passage of the two-thirds gender rule.

The protest delayed official house business for an hour as they took to the floor to explain that they will continue donning head gears to parliament until the rule is implemented.

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Some Kenyans online were however unhappy by their lengthy explanations that delayed discussions on the Finance Bill which was the first order of business in the afternoon session.

@Ramah_Nyang wrote; “We have a Finance Bill to get through, but MPs are wasting time with a debate on the headwraps some women legislators are wearing? Seriously? ??.”

@Rhumeey came to the women’s defense replying; “You don’t know the half of it brother!”

The 2010 Constitution advocates for the two-thirds gender rule.

Article 177 ensures that Articles 81(b) and 27 (8) of the Constitution are complied with at the county level through nomination of special seat members, but the same is not guaranteed at the National Assembly and the Senate.

Interpretation and implementation have proved elusive and part of the reason is because the Constitution doesn’t prescribe how the two-thirds gender requirement for Parliament and Senate should be met.

Previous proposals to ensure the gender rule is met at the House have failed to take off and even High Court orders to ensure the legislation is enacted have not been complied with.