The National Assembly has approved the nomination of Hannah Mendot Cheptumo as Gender CS
Her approval comes even after she made controversial remarks about femicide in the country, where she insinuated that the victims are usually uneducated and that those who are educated are after money.
Her remarks have sparked outraged from MPs, other leaders as well as the general public, who are demanding that she apologizes.
The Ministry of Gender has been left without a CS for 8 months after the cabinet was dissolved in July 2024.
This has seen Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo demand president William Ruto to take the docket seriously.
“It is unfortunate that this is the Ministry that three times, we have rejected the CSs in a very short time. And since July, it has been without a substantive CS,” she said on April 16, during a parliamentary session.
“The challenge goes back to the appointing authority, that we need to take this Ministry seriously and that we don’t just use it as a means of filling up slots,” the MP added.
On the other hand, her Suna East counterpart Junet Mohammed suggested that a man should be in charge of this crucial ministry.
“Gender cuts across. I think a man should have served the interest of women better than women themselves,” Junet reasoned.
Below are the basis of his reasoning;
1.A Man would streamlined gender parity in the country
“If today I was made the minster of Gender, I would make sure this house conforms to the 2/3 gender rule. I would made sure women get their rights. I would make sure that there is no appointment that is done in this country without the 2/3 gender. The right person to be the minister for Gender is a man,” Junet said.
2. Women don’t take the opportunity seriously
According to Junet, women have been given opportunities to deal with matters affecting them through nominations to the Gender docket but they don’t take it seriously thus warranting the need for a man to be in charge of the docket.
“I hope madam Wendot will take the issue of women seriously,” he said.
