Garissa Governor Ali Korane with elders. Leaders and elders raise concern as county fails to meet two-thirds gender rule. [Photo/the-star.co.ke]
Leaders and activists in Garissa County have raised concern over failure by the county government to meet the rule that requires no more than two-thirds of persons appointed to a government body be of the same gender.
The leaders said the county government was unable to meet the two-thirds gender rule while appointing chief officers.
WomanKind director Mr. Abdullahi Mohamed, said that it was unfortunate to see women still being judged by their gender and not by capabilities.
Mr. Mohamed said the county government should ensure it meets the third gender rule in the appointment saying the county has qualified women who can be appointed.
“The governors cannot continue pretending to play to public gallery when they very well know that the buck stops with them and that they have a constitutional requirement that they are supposed to meet,”
“They need to take political responsibilities and this entails going out of their way and appointing women provided they meet the requirements and are qualified,” he said as quoted by the Star.
Kenya Livestock Marketing Council vice chair Dubat Amey, said there are women candidates who are qualified adding that it was high time leadership take lead and ensure they move a step and appoint suitable candidates.
“They have the powers under the Constitution to appoint women candidates in various positions. There are several women candidates who have the qualifications. Some of them have better qualifications than men,” Mr. Amey said.
Garissa Governor Ali Korane had said that he could not appoint more women in the county’s top jobs because of clan decisions.
Mr. Korane said he was unable to meet the two-thirds gender rule while appointing chief officers because his hands were tied adding that clans in the region are unwilling to give women positions.
Out of the 27 chief officers in Garissa, only four are women as appointments in the county are done through clan balancing and rewarding political loyalty.