Quorum Hitch Force MPs to Defer Voting on Contentious Gender Bill

Speaker Justin Muturi has deferred voting on the contentious Gender Bill to a later date after the National Assembly was hit by a quorum hitch.

Muturi has postponed the vote to February, 2019 following a request by Majority Leader Aden Duale, who expressed fears that the Bill would have flopped if voting went ahead on Wednesday.

At least 233 members were required to be in the House for Speaker of the National Assembly to call for a vote but only 212 were present.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to seek your indulgence to allow me to defer the business appearing as order number 10, both in terms of replying and voting on the second reading, until such further time as a House business committee shall decide having consulted widely,” said Duale.

“Mr. Speaker, in making this request, I am conscious – after consulting the House leadership, and moreso the Whips – I am conscious that should we proceed to attempt to take the vote, and upon counting the members present and if it is discovered that we are less than the requisite threshold of 233 members as required under article 256 (d) of the constitution, we will risk losing the Bill.”

A section of MPs led by Murang'a Woman Representative Sabina Chege and Minority Leader John Mbadi supported Duale’s push for deferment.

However, others including Minority Whip Junet Mohamed and Kimilili MP Chris Wamalwa opposed the move. Speaker Muturi ruled in favor of Duale stand.

Gender Bill 2018, which is sponsored by Duale, who is also Garissa Township MP, seeks to ensure that Parliament complies with the two-thirds gender principle as required by the Constitution.