Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has said he will vote against the two-thirds gender rule which seeks to increase the number of female legislators in Parliament.
In a post on his official Facebook page on Monday, Kuria said he had tried to engage female leaders in the National Assembly with a view of coming up with a solid framework on how the Bill will be salvaged in vain.
The lawmaker had proposed that the Gender Bill should be implemented on a fixed merit basis whereby those eligible will apply for the positions, and political parties barred from having a say in choosing their prefered nominees.
According to Kuria, his proposal sought to benefit women and youth at the grassroots level, by ensuring the applications are done at the constituencies and handed over to an independent body mandated to select the best nominees.
Kuria said the Bill should not be used by already established female politicians to continue serving in parliament but should instead benefit the citizens at the grassroots.
The legislator further said he has received numerous phone calls from women urging him to vote against the Bill which they argue will only benefit those with close links to well-known politicians, a plea he says has informed his decision to vote against it.
The move comes a day before MPs vote for the Bill which is sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, with female MPs urging their male counterparts to pass it in accordance with the Constitution.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have also been at the forefront in drumming up support for the Bill among Jubilee-allied MPs.
National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka have also declared support for the Bill.
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