Cabinet approves constitutional amendment bill to increase Constituencies by 40, and 50 seats for women Importance: High Kenyan cabinet yesterday approved constitutional amendment Bill, to increase constituencies by 40, and preserve 50 seats for women nominees. For women specifically, this can be a big gain for them, and for Kenya, the gender equity. The debate so far has been talking of minimum 30 seats for women (so 50 is good). We hope that parliament can support this. We also hope that if this goes through parliament, that we will see an increased campaign from women to get at least another 30 elected women, so we have at least 80 women in parliament in total for the start. Milcah/Nyambura/Betty/Elsie....hope you will not wait to be nominated, but you will run for elections for us to support you. Martha Karua has declared her candidature for President for 2012. Hope that if we have the above women numbers, that we are headed for a future woman President soon. Given iam 50% a woman, the women can always count on my support....so long as they prove leadership. Good news above, but sad news is the proposal by MPs for MPs to increase exit allowances that will cost Kenyans at least Kshs. 1.5 billion !!!! Kenyans MUST resist this at all cost...even if it means a protest vote against the current MPs in the soon to be elections. I think Kenya needs to change the law quickly to stop MPs from determining their own package, and create put this under Parliamentary Service Commission. Otieno/Ibrahima...CIDA is the lead donor on Parliament donor group, and we have to see how we can influence this. CIDA Governance is soon putting before PRC two proposals to fund Movement for Political Accountability (MOPA), and, National Tax Payers Association (NTA), both focusing on improving accountability and effective use of public resources. We hope that both can be a force to rally Kenyans against such poor moves of MPS and political leaders. Thanks Director Governance Project and Governance Advisor CIDA Kenya Mustafa Court Eldama Ravine Road, No. 15 Tel 254 (20) 3755324/5 Fax 254 (20) 3755325 Email: robert.simiyu@cidakenya.org
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