A list of Members of Parliament who voted against the Two-Thirds Gender rule on Wednesday has been unveiled.
The names of the 28 lawmakers are being circulated to publicly urge them to vote for the amendment bill, which seeks to permit nomination of women to Parliament, come May 5th after the House Speaker Justin Muturi ordered a repeat vote.
15 of the MPs who snubbed the Two-Third Gender Laws (Amendment Bill) 2015 were from the Jubilee coalition while six of them were CORD members.
Jubilee members included Makadara MP Benson Mutura, Ali Rasso (Saku), Alex Kosgey (Emgwen), Cornelly Serem (Aldai), Elijah Lagat (Chesumei), Ibrahim Sane (Garsen), Julius Melly (Tinderet), Japhet Mbiuki (Maara), Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati), Paul Bii (Chepalungu), Sammy Mwaita (Baringo Central), Joseph Kiuna (Njoro), Peter Kinyua (Mathira), Mark Lomunokol (Kacheliba), and Daniel Nanok (Turkana West).
CORD legislators on the list were Ijara MP Ibrahim Abass, Kilifi South MP Idd Mustafa, John Waluke (Sirisia), Tom Kajwang' (Ruaraka), Mpuru Aburi (Tigania East), and Kitui Rural MP Charles Nyamai.
The legislators had earlier been urged by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga to support the bill, highlighting that both sides of the political divide should put aside their differences and unanimously vote for it.
Read Also: MPs Disappoint Uhuru and Raila
The Bill requires support from 233 legislators to pass, but was shot down after only 195 members voted in its favour with 28 legislators opposing it.
A motion which seeks to amend the Constitution must be supported by not less than two-thirds of the House which translates to 233 members.
Speaker Muturi announced that some members had violated stipulated procedures for casting their vote as 24 MPs refused to vote or indicate they had abstained.
“Be bold enough to express yourself. This is how we make decisions. Let us know what your vote is. If you are not, register your abstention.” Muturi stated.
The proposed law which was sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale seeks to amend the Constitution to permit nomination of women to Parliament, in case the elected members do not meet the two thirds gender rule.
Here are the MPs:
