Disability is not Inability

During the campaign for support of the affirmative action bill to have a constitutional amendment to reserve 50 seats for women nominated by political parties, there was a unity rare among women political class.

But again the arguments were various as to the relevance of the affirmative bill within the current political environment. The greatest argument against was not essentially if this bill was necessary but how the women were to be selected.

Opinions run around that women elite would get nominations from their political parties at the expense of rural women. The elite it is assumed have the money and experience required to fight it out with men in the politcal playground.

But the best case against was why pursure a constitutional amendment to have 50 seat for women only. This may have been the double-edge sword that saw the bill flop. There are other groups who need affarmative action equally urgent. These groups like persons with disabilities have not been got much from the Kibaki government. Why should they be sidelined yet they have more urgent need for correcting historical and attitudinal discrimination.

While proponents of the bill said they would see a situation in which parties would select people with disabilties who are women there were no guaruntees. Neither the bill nor any direct assurances were made to ensure women with disabilties would get any affirmative action within the framework. So while the people with disabilties held a peaceful demonstrations to push for 15 of the 50 seats to be allocated for them the bill did not see the light of day in parliament.

There was case to listen to opinions which disapproved of the manner the bill was lobbied. There were also people who disapproved of the mover of the bill and her stance in mannny other situations. The Justice minister Ms martha karua who the media called the "Iron Lady" was said to rub manny the wrong way with her abbrasive manner.

Parliamentary politcs are legion and work within a scratch my back i scratch yours relationship with the executive. After the fall of the 6 million gratuity perks for end of term for members there was bad blood with government. This some say caused the large walk out making the required quorum for a constitutional amendment impossible.

Tey have refused to go on august recess and have been accused by the leader of government business as crying for the perks. we wait to see what it all turns into.

disabilitykenya.