Perspectives of key stakeholders on implementation of the gender quota threshold in devolved governance of selected counties in kenya

Abstract

The Kenya Constitution 2010 states that membership at the County Assembly and the County Executive should have at least one-third of either gender. The basis for this constitutional provision is that equitable gender representation within the county governance is perceived to contribute to a balanced socio-cultural and economic development of the devolved units. This stems from the consideration that adherence to this threshold enables both men and women to participate in decision-making, policy formulation and allocation of resources that is equitable within the counties. The problem is that several counties in Kenya have failed to meet the constitutional requirements for gender equality; potentially due to varied perspectives on the matter. A literature review by the researcher revealed that very little previous research exists in Kenya on this issue that could provide in-depth insights of the stakeholders on the implementation of the gender quota threshold in county governance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of key stakeholders on implementation of the gender quota threshold in devolved governance in Kenya. The specific objectives of this research were to: find out the views of various stakeholders on the constitutional provisions on gender quota threshold in devolved governance, to establish how the gender quota threshold provisions are being implemented in devolved governance and to examine the barriers to successful implementation of the gender quota threshold provisions. The Theory of Political Representation and the Empowerment Approach were drawn upon to interpret the findings. This study adopted a qualitative approach and a comparative research design. Data were generated using interviews, focused group discussions and document analysis. Purposive sampling was adopted to select two counties based on the number of women elected and appointed in the County Assembly and County Executive; respectively. The total sample size was 53 participants. The data were analysed thematically and presented in the form of narration. The key findings were: Various stakeholders view the constitutional provisions on gender quota threshold as being fair and well–intended but leaving a lot of loopholes for diverse interpretations; that the implementation of this legislation is in- consistent in the counties studied and is dependent largely on the goodwill of the governors and other key decision makers; and that barriers to successful implementation of the gender quota threshold include male patronage, gender-bias, social-cultural perceptions among others. It was concluded that implementation of the gender quota threshold are dependent on the key players‟ perspectives based on personal experiences and level of education whereas implementation at the County Executive level is dependent on individual Governor‟s attributes and perceived accountability to their electorates. Recommendations are: the need to align perspectives of the key stakeholders on interpretation and implementation of the gender quota threshold through enhanced civic education if this law has to achieve its purpose of equitable development; a need for strengthening the legislation to seal the existing loopholes for implementation; and it is necessary to have broader conceptualization of the role of gender equity in development in devolved units that goes beyond the numerical representation in the County Assembly and Executive.