Woman reps won’t stop the push for Sh3.4b fund

The 47 woman county representatives have intensified their lobbying for support from colleagues in the National Assembly in their push for a Sh3.4 billion development fund.

Consultations between the county women MPs and the Budget and Appropriations committee are ongoing on the proposed Affirmative Action Social Development Fund Bill that proposes the fund to support their development initiatives.

The women reps have threatened to frustrate passage of the 2014-2015 budget if their demands are not met.

Nyeri Women Rep Priscillah Nyokabi confirmed they are engaged in a series of “lobbying and consultations” but declined to give details of their engagement with colleagues for fear that this could jeopardise gains already made.

It all boils down to their relevance in the 347-member National Assembly. A year after they were elected, the 47 women representatives are a worried lot, fearing they may have nothing to show their electorate or opponents in 2017.

The excitement of sailing through the crowded race for the seat has finally died do, and it has dawned on them that the world of politics is all about wielding influence and control, and money is a key determinant.

With regard to their parliamentary legislative role, all is well. But back in their counties, they are alive to the expectations of the electorate. Questions are being asked what exactly their role is.

The electorate does not see them any differently from the rest of the MPs. And so, as much as they are performing their legislative duties, at the grassroots, they are expected to have undertaken development projects.

It is this concern that sent them back to the drawing board for a Sh 3.4 billion fund (0.5pc of total revenue). This would see each of their counties receive Sh70 million.

And for the last eight months, they have been pursuing the fund through the Affirmative Action Social Development Fund Bill. But it has been pending before the Budget and Appropriations Committee since last year.

Unlike the 290 MPs who have a Constituency Development Fund through which their development activities are implemented, the county MPs do not have any funding structure to help them initiate development activities.

Their seats were created by the 2010 Constitution as an affirmative action measure to increase the number of women in Parliament.

The women MPs say they are no more than spectators in their counties and are forced to dig in their pockets to fund projects.

“County women MPs are really looking into this issue because it is really hard for them as legislators on the ground. People have expectations, and so we need an instrument for development a part from their law making role,” Ms Nyokabi said at a past forum.

Her sentiments are shared by the other women reps who say they feel disadvantaged without a fund to allow them to realise their development plans.

The principal objective of the proposed Bill is the establishment of the Affirmative Action Social Development Fund to promote the socio-economic empowerment of women, youth, persons with disability, the elderly, the vulnerable and marginalised groups.

“MPs have the Constituency Development Fund, as county MPs, we feel that we have been disempowered. There are many issues in the counties, and we want to be empowered so that we can also perform our roles,” Ms Nyokabi told journalists after women reps staged a walkout from Parliament in February.

They have received support from the Young Parliamentarians Association and the Human Rights Parliamentary caucus which have said it is their right and not a privilege to be allocated funds.

Young MPs

TNA Nominated MP Johnstone Sakaja, Ndhiwa MP Aghostinho Neto and Awendo MP Jared Opiyo said MPs should support the county MPs. “Parliament should stop being chauvinistic and give them the money because we have pushed them from all the other funds,” Mr Neto said.

Mr Opiyo urged his colleagues to lend the women MPs an ear. “It is unfair to treat the women MPs differently from the other MPs,” he said.

The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association, (Kewopa) has also supported their quest. Kewopa chairperson Cecily Mbarire said they should be accorded equal opportunities and resources so that they can also be engaged in development activities.
“There is no way you can have the MPs elected at the counties and have no facilitation for them,” she said.

Speaking at a previous forum, Muranga County Women MP Ms Sabina Chege said the aim is not to compete with any other funds but to respond to the county’s needs that have not been addressed.

Meru County MP Ms Florence Kajuju said the fund will actualize the need. “We risk becoming s a laughing stock. We don’t want to be flower girls; we want to have this seat empowered to the level of our constituency colleagues.” she said.