Women from Kisii County are pushing for the extension of term of office for the Constitution Implementation Commission (CIC) commissioners to ensure smooth implementation of the constitution.
Led by Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation( MYWO) Kisii County Chairlady Mrs Bathseba Sanaya, the women from the region expressed fear that as CIC commissioners' term of office expires at the end of this year, there will be danger on the road to achieve full implementation of the new constitution.
She noted that forces who were against the constitution may exploit the absence of CIC to frustrate the implementation of the constitution to the letter and spirit to the best interest of Kenyans.
In an interview with this writer in Kisii town immediately after the marking of the 5th anniversary of the promulgation of the new constitution at Gusii stadium on Thursday, Sanaya singled out the two-thirds gender principle which she feared could be sabotaged by forces against gender representation as enshrined in the constitution.
"On behalf of women from Kisii, I am calling on the National Assembly to consider extending the CIC commissioners' term of office to allow them continue overseeing the implementation of the new constitution as it has reached a critical stage where it cannot be left to the political class alone to oversee the implementation of the country's constitution," observed Sanaya.
Sanaya expressed optimism that Parliament will consider extending the Nyachae led Commission's term of office to particularly midwife the two-thirds gender principle to ensure women achieve their long cherished dream of gender parity.
Her sentiments came immediately after the Kisii Deputy Governor Joash Maangi ignited a debate at Gusii stadium on Thursday calling on the National Assembly to consider extending the CIC commissioners' term after its expiry at the end of the year.
Responding to Maangi's sentiments CIC Chairman Charles Nyachae publicly differed with him.
Nyachae told Maangi that CIC commissioners were satisfied with the mandate they were given to oversee the implementation of the constitution and they were not yearning for extension of their mandate beyond the constitutional timelines accorded to them.
"As CIC commissioners, we are grateful to the great people of Kenya for giving us opportunity to oversee the implementation of the constitution of this great Republic and we can say without contradiction that we have discharged that duty with all our ability. When our mandate expires at the end this year, we will respect the constitution and vacate office as per the provisions of the constitution," said Nyachae.
Nyachae, however, allayed fears among Kenyans that when CIC's mandate expires at the end of the year, the implementation of the constitution will be disrupted. He said the process of implementing the constitution was on course and challenged Kenyans to be vigilant and ensure the constitution is implemented to the letter and spirit for prosperity and posterity.
"As CIC commissioners, we are confident that after our mandate expires at the end of this year, the constitution implementation process will remain on course and nobody should fear that in the absence of CIC the process will be sabotaged or derailed," Nyachae assured Kenyans.