An Assessment of the Status of the Two-Thirds Gender Principle in Kenya's Elective and Appointive Politics

Abstract

This study aimed at interrogating the status of compliance with the two-third gender principle in the second term of government under the Kenyan 2010 constitution.  The study limited itself to selected units within the three arms of government, namely, the legislature, judiciary and the executive. The study used desk-top research design in its analysis and presentation of findings. The study established that although compliance to the two-thirds gender rule in Kenya is in force, gender gaps still exists in its substantive implementation. The study established that compliance to the two thirds principle has not been adhered to during political party nomination primaries in seeking for elective offices. The study results revealed that in national and county assemblies' women have not achieved the critical threshold through competitive election paving the way for nomination of more women. However, some county assemblies have not complied with the two-thirds gender rule. The results indicate that although attempts to comply with the two-thirds gender rule have been achieved to a greater degree in elective and appointive positions, compliance in other smaller public spaces like the assemblies' committees' membership and leadership. The findings indicated that the Kenyan judiciary has complied on general terms however; the composition of the Supreme Court has not achieved the minimum threshold of 33.3%. The study results reveal that the executive appointments have not complied with the two-thirds gender rule in its appointment of the cabinet secretaries, chief administrative secretaries and principal secretaries. Comparatively, the Kenyan judiciary has complied with greater extent compared to the national and county assemblies, and the executive. The study established that the two-thirds gender principle has enhanced attempts to achieve inclusivity in governance structures in Kenya.