In Kenya, national assembly considers constitutional amendment on implementing two-thirds gender principle

A proposal to increase the number of nominated lawmakers significantly raising the membership of Parliament beyond 416, is gathering steam in the Senate. The National Assembly has 349 members and Senate 67, including 12 and 20 nominated MPs respectively. Should the bill pass, the nominated lawmakers will exceed the 32 by far. The number of MPs will increase in 2027 should the push by a senator to amend the Constitution to realise the two-thirds gender principle succeed. It will see the creation of more special seats and consequently increase the wage bill of the National Assembly and Senate. The proposals are contained in the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2023, sponsored by nominated Senator Beth Syengo. The bill, first read in the Senate on May 4, has been committed to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and is due for second reading and debate on August 1. [...] She seeks to add a second clause under Article 81 to compel the government take legislative, policy and other measures – including the setting of standards – to realise the principle. [...] The new paragraph will require the election, through party lists, of the number of special seat members necessary to ensure no more than two-thirds of the membership of the National Assembly is of the same gender. The bill also proposes that the number of special seats under clause (1) shall be determined after the declaration of the results of a General Election.
Read the full article here: Nation