National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) chairperson Winfred Lichuma has opposed the changes made to the Cabinet on Tuesday.
In a statement to the media on Thursday, Lichuma said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s appointments did not meet the two-third gender rule. She said the changes show that women were side-lined.
Lichuma said that the constitution defines the cabinet as composing the Cabinet secretaries, President, deputy president and the Attorney general.
She said that the gender ratio for the cabinet currently is 18 men to 5 women which she said does not comply with the two-thirds gender principle and is, therefore, unconstitutional.
The NGEC chair urged Parliament to reject the list of the new nominees when presented to House.
“The proposed membership to the Cabinet is constitutionally flawed and should not be allowed to sail through until when the gender principle is well reflected,” she said in the statement.
The NGEC chair asked President Kenyatta to review the appointments made to the Cabinet so that they can reflect the spirit of the constitution.
Meanwhile a section of women in Limuru town have also complained over the low number of women in the cabinet.
Speaking on Thursday, the women said that they are not well represented.
“President Uhuru Kenyatta should involve more women in government if he wants to fight corruption effectively,” said Mercy Nyambura, a resident.
Nyambura said that the constitution agitates for equal representation in government appointments and that it will important for President Kenyatta to ensure women are considered.
On Tuesday President Kenyatta announced the changes where he replaced five Cabinet Secretaries, Felix Koskey, Eng Michael Kamau, Charity Ngilu, Kazungu Kambi and Davis Chirchir, who had stepped aside over corruption allegations.
The new faces in the Cabinet are Kericho Senator Charles Keter who will take over the Energy Ministry, Dan Kazungu for Mining, Dr Cleopa Mailu for Health, Willy Bett for Agriculture and Joe Mucheru for Information Communication Technology (ICT).
Cabinet Secretaries who have been moved to other ministries are Jacob Kaimenyi who has moved from Education to Lands, Fred Matiang’I from ICT to Education, Phyllis Kandie from Tourism to Labour, James Macharia from Health to Transport and Najib Balala from Mining to Tourism.
Former Laikipia MP Mwangi Kiunjuri was nominated to replace Anne Waiguru who resigned last week from the devolution docket.