PRESS RELEASE : CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLIANCE IN CABINET NOMINATIONS

The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) acknowledges H.E President William Ruto's nominations of Ms. Dorcas Agik Oduor SC, EBS, OGW for Attorney General and Ms. Beatrice Askul Moe for Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of East African Community Affairs (EAC) and Regional Development. These nominations  are a positive step towards aligning the Cabinet with the constitutional requirements for gender balance The proposed Cabinet now consists of 25 members, including the President, Deputy President, Attorney-General, and 22 Cabinet Secretaries.

The gender composition includes 17 males, representing 68%, and 8 females, representing 32%, thereby falling short of only 1% to comply with Article 27(8) of the Constitution, which stipulates that no more than two-thirds of the members of an appointive body should be of the same gender.

Despite the progress in gender representation, the Commission notes the absence of persons with disabilities (PWDs) among the current nominees. Article 54(2) of the Constitution mandates a 5% representation of PWDs.

The Commission urges the National Assembly to rigorously vet all nominees, ensuring strict adherence to Chapter 6 of the Constitution regarding leadership and integrity. Only those who meet these stringent requirements should be approved to ensure a Cabinet that embodies equality, non-discrimination, and ethical leadership.

The NGEC commends H.E the President's efforts towards gender balance and representation of youth and marginalized communities. We will closely monitor the vetting process and the Cabinet's subsequent performance to ensure constitutional compliance.

SIGNED

DR. JOYCE M. MUTINDA, PhD, EBS,

CHAIRPERSON

NGEC Chair Dr. Joyce Mutinda