Overhaul electoral laws to achieve parity

The Constitution states that more than two thirds of elected lawmakers and appointed public servants should not be of the same gender in a new Kenya but implementation of the clause seems to be a steep climb with remnants of the old school at the helm.

As part of affirmative action, 47 female parliamentarians were elected and others nominated to the male dominated legislative chambers. Those elections are nothing but a cosmetic measure that makes a mockery of the Constitution. Mockery expressed itself in the third time defeat of the gender parity Bill on the floor of the House in spite of campaigns by party leaders including President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Little known is the fact that Kenyan electoral format and process, as presently crafted, is a constraint to the supreme law as exemplified in the recent abortive debate on the implementation of the gender parity rule. Gender parity is only achievable by overhauling election related laws to conform to the prevailing circumstances.

Unfortunately, the current electoral laws have helped perpetuate age-old gender discrimination, electoral malpractices, division, balkanisation and zoning the country into tribal and clan enclaves.

POLITICAL WRANGLES

The electoral system in which parties are convenient election conveyor belts is fraught with abuses, intrigues and manipulations. A winner takes all breeds chaos and endless political wrangles.

One such remedy to perennial crisis is proportional representation method that works in some jurisdictions including the one time violent South Africa. Unlike Kenya after the promulgation of multi-party, South Africa has conducted four peaceful elections.

Under proportional representation, vulnerable groups stand to benefit, entry into political leadership positions would be a lot easier, less controversial and affordable. It takes care of among other things, ethnic balancing, minimising campaign costs, tames voter bribery, chaos other countless problems.

List of irrevocable party nominees filed with the electoral agency should make constitutional requirements including gender parity mandatory before political outfits face each other in the elections in which voters choose parties not individuals. Party choices for political offices should, without much ado, serve in any of the country’s constituencies.

With diverse party choices offering services to the nation away from birth places, cohesion and national unity can be achieved faster than anticipated.

ELECTORAL FORMAT

For the country to espouse peace, it has to settle for a different electoral format and process that is inclusive and political friendly. Leaders across the divide should take advantage of the rare unity of purpose in the March 9 handshake whose effects have toned down the post election political temperature.

Twenty years ago some few selfless lawmakers put aside party differences for the sake of the country’s unity. Under the aegis of Inter Parties Parliamentary Group (IPPG), home grown solutions were crafted on minimum reforms and imminent chaos averted.

The deliberations on conflict resolutions of the IPPG are a compelling archive reference material for the Building Bridges Initiative Task Force whom Kenyans trust and believe will deliver on the dreams of the nation’s founding fathers.

Mr Rasanga is the Siaya County Governor. [email protected]