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The role of County Women Representatives in Kenya is primarily to represent the women and girls in ther counties.

Article 97 of the Kenyan Constitution creates the position of County Women Representatives. It states in section (1) (b) that the membership of the National Assembly consists of–

Forty-seven women, each elected by the registered voters of the counties, each county constituting a single member constituency.

County Women Representatives are the outcome of the two-thirds gender law that aims at increasing the representation of women in parliament. The Constitution refers to this law several times.

The Constitution under article 100 classifies women as a special interest group. Article 27 (3) guarantees them equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunity, in the political sphere. Article 27 (6) states that–

To give full effect to the realization of the rights guaranteed under this Article, the State shall take legislative and other measures, including affirmative action programmes and policies designed to redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups because of past discrimination.

Article 27 (7) says any measure taken under clause (6) shall adequately provide for any benefits to be based on genuine need.

Article 27 (8) also states the following–

In addition to the measures contemplated in clause (6), the State shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender.

Article 81 on the general principles of the electoral system says in section (b) that,

Not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender.

Therefore, since they represent women, the official term for them in singular is “County Women Representative”, not “Woman Representative”.

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Role of County Women Representatives in Kenya

Each of the 47 counties has an elected County Women Representative at the National Assembly. The public sees them as completely different from other MPs. However, they are all similar based on their functions.

The only difference is that the role of County Women Representatives goes beyond that of other MPs. That is why the Constitution created special positions for them in parliament.

County Women Representatives represent women, whom the Constitution recognizes as a marginalised group (Article 100).

County Women Representative shall promote the interests of women and girls within their counties and the country at large. This role involves coming up with laws and policies that specifically target women and girls. Through parliament, they shall lobby and advocate for equity and equal opportunities for women and girls.

They shall sponsor and engage in bills, motions, resolutions, and/or notices that aim to redress any disadvantage suffered by women and girls because of past or present discrimination. These laws shall also work towards improving the status of women and girls to bridge the gap of gender inequality.

The other role of County Women Representatives in Kenya is to receive and act on petitions from the public on matters that relate to (discrimination of) women and girls.

County Women Representatives in Kenya also have a role to play in mobilizing residents in their counties to identify projects that women and girls can benefit from. They shall influence the national government to include these projects in the budget. Furthermore, they can utilize the role of parliament in the budget process to allocate money for these projects.

In addition, they shall establish oversight mechanisms to ensure that the national government implements these projects. In doing so, they shall promote prudent use of public resources and ensure that the projects reach the target population. Their oversight will also ensure the projects have a lasting outcome and impact on the beneficiaries (women and girls).

County Women Representatives guarantee equality for women

However, the role of County Women Representatives in Kenya shall not (necessarily) involve providing or meeting immediate needs for women and girls. That’s not what the law intended.

It is not the work of County Women Representatives to provide or donate sanitary towels or to drill boreholes.

They shall advocate and work for long-term policy interventions to find solutions to challenges facing women and girls. Using the above example, rather than donate sanitary pads, they shall have the government provide them for all school-going girls.

By playing their role efficiently, County Women Representatives can promote gender equality and equity.

Their role does not also include the management of funds. Parliament budgets for the Affirmative Action Social Development Fund for County Women Representatives. It is similar to the Constituency Development Fund.

Ventures which this fund caters for include helping the recuperation of sexual and sex-based brutality survivors. Others are supporting the youth who have dropped out of school, vagrants and vulnerable kids, and nurturing youngsters.

However, legislators shall not perform executive functions, such as management of funds. Their role is oversight and managing funds and playing oversight at the same time leads to a conflict of interest.

The Kenyan Constitution emphasises the separation of powers between the organs of national and county governments. Therefore, lawmakers shall not perform any executive functions such as management and implementation of funds.

County Women Representatives in Kenya complement the elected and nominated female MPs. The position of County Women Representatives increases the number of women in parliament. However, the figure is still below the 33% required by law where no more than two-thirds of the MPs shall be of the same gender.

The other roles of County Women Representative in Kenya as Members of Parliament are in Article 95 of the Constitution. The roles include budgeting (allocation, expenditure and oversight of national revenue), determining the conduct of State officers, overseeing state organs, and approving declarations of war and states of emergency.

In short, the function and role of County Women Representatives in Kenya is the representation, legislation and oversight (and budget allocation).

County Women Representatives serve for a fixed term of five years, but they are eligible for re-election as many times as possible since there are no term limits for MPs in Kenya.

How to Measure the Performance of County Women Representatives

First, look at their contributions during plenary sessions (through the Hansard) in Parliament and also their contributions to parliamentary committee meetings. The Hansard Recordings are easier to get (from mzalendo.com) but the committee reports are difficult to obtain because Kenya’s committees are very opaque.

The contributions can be in terms of how many times they have spoken before the house (and the important points they have raised) the bills and motions they have sponsored, et cetera.

Mzalendo’s website (at info.mzalendo.com) contains more information about the County Women Representatives (and other MPs), including their profiles.

Can a man contest for the position of County Women Representative in Kenya?

The answer is NO. A man cannot contest for the position of County Women Representative. It is a position meant exclusively for women.