NATIONAL GENDER AND EQUALITY COMMISSION (NGEC) RAISES ALARM OVER GENDER IMBALANCE AND DISABILITY REPRESENTATION IN CABINET NOMINATIONS
The NGEC has now expressed deep misgivings over the recent nominations for cabinet secretaries, citing huge concerns relating to gender parity and representation of persons with living disabilities.
In a statement, the NGEC went to great pain to dissect the 21 nominees and came up with a male-dominated list of 15 males versus only 6 females. This composition had swollen, with the President and his Deputy added, to 17 males versus a paltry 6 females. This is contrary to Article 27(8) of the new Constitution, that provides that not more than two-thirds of any appointive body shall be of the same gender, according to NGEC.
The NGEC had in an earlier statement said that the said configuration is not in tandem with the dictate of the constitution. By virtue of Article 27(8) that caps same gender representation at 16 members, we demand that appointments to the positions of Attorney-General and at least one Cabinet Secretary be reserved for women, said the NGEC spokesperson.
The NGEC further clarified that one of the female appointees should be a person living with a disability, as this would bring the final composition to 17 males and 8 females, hence meeting the constitutional requirement of gender parity.
Another very important observation brought out by the NGEC was that no single nominee was drawn from or represented the Persons with Disabilities, in contravention of the 5% constitutional representation under Article 54(2).
The Commission, however, welcomed the nomination of Eric Muriithi Muuga, 32 years, as a step in the right direction towards the implementation of Article 55(b), that provides for the representation of youth in decision-making. Similarly, the efforts towards including members from marginalized communities in the appointments were identified as reflecting compliance with Article 260 and Article 56(c) of the Constitution, which advocate for affirmative action to the benefit of minorities and marginalized groups.
NGEC has urged the Appointing Authority to ensure that the final Cabinet list fully complies with Articles 27, 54, and 55 of the Constitution. It insisted on the necessity for vigorous vetting by the National Assembly on the named persons to ensure the stringent demands enshrined in Chapter 6 on leadership and integrity are upheld.
“The process is critical in ensuring that persons appointed imbibe aspects of equality, non-discrimination, and ethical leadership,” said the NGEC spokesperson.
The move by the President elicited mixed reactions and uncertainty in the mind of the public and analysts alike. Whereas others have reacted positively, some have expressed disappointment, especially with the non-adherence to constitutional imperatives in respect of the composition of the new Cabinet.
