Murang'a County Women Representative Sabina Chege has rubbished claims going around social media that she is sponsoring a bill at the National Assembly to scrap dowry payment in marriage.
Chege said she has never made such a proposal and she does not know what was the motive of the person who came up with those 'weird' allegations.
"I have never made such a proposal in private or in public. I fail to understand the mission of the person who made that up. Furthermore, in our society women do not pay dowry, it is the duty of men. Why should I be concerned with what has nothing to do with women?" she posed.
Messages going round the social media platforms allege that Chege is sponsoring a bill to ban dowry payment since it puts a price on women thus belittling them. She, however, noted that she has been drumming up support for the enactment of breastfeeding clause in Heath Bill, 2015 which made it mandatory for employers to provide breastfeeding stations for nursing mothers in the workplace.
"Lack of such environments has meant that mothers often leave their children at home and only breastfeed them after work. This could put the health of their babies at risk," she noted.
The bill was sponsored by the National Assembly Health Committee chaired by Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai.
It was approved by Parliament on March 28, 2015. Under the provision, stations must be equipped with all necessary facilities, including electric outlets for breast pumps, refrigerators and appropriate cooling facilities within office premises. Employers are also obliged to provide comfortable seats for mothers to ensure the breastfeeding experience is as relaxed as possible.