Members of Parliament affiliated to the Orange Democratic Movement have been urged to exercise solidarity in ensuring that the Gender Bill is passed.
It is reported that the legislators who will vote contrary to the party's direction shall face dire punishment from the disciplinary unit of the party.
According to Junet Mohammed, who is the ODM's director of election, matters and also the Suna East legislator, MPs who will note vote in favour for the bill shall never be allowed to vie for any electoral post in the 2017 general elections. Junet says it is the party's decision that will serve to instil discipline to rebellious members and also a show of loyalty to the party.
The new take by ODM comes just a week after the bill failed to get the house approval due to a small number of legislators who turned up to support the bill. The Gender Bill was supported by only 195 legislators while 28 others opposed the bill during last week’s house voting. 24 MPs abstained, showing no willingness to vote for or against the bill.
Female parliamentarians have been rallying and urging their fellow male legislators to vote in favour of the bill. As a booster to the bill, the National Council of Non-Governmental Organisations has also rallied behind the female members to appeal to all other parliamentarians to vote for the bill.
The bill seeks to fully implement Article 81 of the constitution that calls for not more than a two-third of either gender being represented at both the Senate and the National Assemblies.