Proposed law gives women aspirants cash for campaigns

Women candidates will get campaign cash from the government under a proposed law sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale.

The Bill is supported by the Attorney-General on behalf of the Executive.

If the National Assembly approves the proposed changes to the Political Parties Act, parties that do not have at least a third of members and candidates nominated for elections being women would be deregistered.

The so-called special elections fund would get money from Parliament.

It would also serve as the receptacle for money from donors and individuals willing to fund campaigns by women.

The publication of the Bill, which has proposed changes to the Political Parties and the Election acts, is more of a statement of intent from the government because it has to be preceded by an amendment of the Constitution.

That amendment would be to provide for the electoral agency to top up, through nomination, the number of women needed in Parliament in order to meet the requirement that not more than two thirds of its members are of the same gender.

The publication of the Bill is the government’s response to the order by the High Court to enact the legislation necessary to fulfil the gender parity principle, whose deadline the National Assembly hopes to postpone by a year.

According to the Bill, which is yet to be taken through the first reading, the registrar of political parties would have the power to deregister a party if it has contravened the provision stating that not more than two thirds of the members of elective agencies be of the same gender.

The Bill also seeks to change the way the political parties fund is shared so that 15 per cent of it is given to parties proportionately and depending on the number of women elected to Parliament.

The bulk, 80 per cent, will be shared between the parties depending on the number of votes secured in the general election, while five per cent would be used for administration.

If it is passed, the law would require parties to ensure that at least a third of their candidates in every county are women.

It would also activate the provision that would give IEBC the method to fill the gender gap in Parliament after elections.