1 Million Signature campaign for women seats

Kenyan women leaders launched the1,000,000 Signatures Campaign for 50 Women’s Seats in Parliament at Nyayo Stadium to drum up support for the proposed 50 Parliamentary seats for women as recently proposed by the Cabinet.

The launch will be followed by a road show caravan into Nairobi’s eight constituencies to gain public support for the campaign.

The launch was presided over by Mrs Ida Odinga, the Chairperson of the League of Kenya Women Voters and Co-Convener of the National Women’s Negotiating Team.

Other members of the National Women’s Negotiating Team are Mrs Phoebe Asiyo; Dr Eddah Gachukia; Dr Betty Gikonyo; Prof Julia Ojiambo and Prof Wanjiku Kabira.

The signatures are part of a wider strategy for securing a legislative framework that guarantees the women’s quota in Parliament, although if passed, it does not lead to the agreed national quota of at least 30 percent representation for women at all levels of women.  By continental standards, Kenya is still far behind the African Union recommendation of 50 percent representation for women.

The launch follows a series of  fruitful consultative meetings between members of the National Steering Committee and the National Women’s Negotiating Team and political party leaders in the past fortnight in support of legislative action to increase women’s representation in Parliament.

At least 40 national and grassroots women’s organizations are supporting the legislation and enactment of Cabinet Bill no. 32 that seeks to increase the representation of women in Parliament by 50 seats through a Constitutional Amendment. 

Below is the itinerary for the caravan/road show:

Nyayo Stadium to Kamukunji Grounds through Mombasa and Jogoo Roads.  The caravan moves onto Eastleigh, Kariogangi South, Ngara, Kangemi, Uthiru, Kawangware and finally Kibera.