Watching the Sexual Offenses Debate: a blogger's report

By Afrofeminizta.

Kudos Afrofeminizta for providing Mzalendo with this first-hand report!

I went to parliament for the first day's debate on the Sexual Offences Bill. I went because i'm a woman and have a keen interest in ensuring that sexual offences are responded to adequately. I have had the personal experience of supporting a friend through a painful process of seeking legal redress for rape in a flawed legal system which does not care for the victims. So i went to see for myself what the MPs would do and also to offer moral support to Hon. Njoki Ndungu.

When we got there, it was chaotic and already the Government had brought in armed police in 1 truck and a landrover, decked out in hard hats and tear gas canisters strapped around their waists. We were meant to be on a list to go and sit at the speakers gallery. . .but as you can imagine in all the confusion our names could not be found. I'm not sure whether this was disorganization or sabotage by those who did not wish to see us enter.

Anyway we decided to get in via the public gallery. Luckily for us, Hon. Cecily Mbarire came to find out what was going on and convinced some guy (in a green uniform. . .i think he is in the parliamentary staff) to let as many of us in as possible to the public gallery. So we went in via the main gate and were shown round to the public gallery which can be accessed via the entrance near Continental house (where MPs their have offices).

For women, you can only go in with a handbag. . .for some reason all these funky ciondos; sisal bags; fabric bags were not being allowed in! Go figure. So i'll advise you to go with leather or some man made fibre bag! There is a female guard assigned to search people as they enter and you are also asked to switch off your mobile phone. They are quite 'macho' so you can't ati put it on silent and pretend it's off...You also could not go in with folders ...weird. In terms of dress code, they were not enforcing any . . .i think is saw a woman in jeans.

So up the stairs you go, past smelly male loos and one dank female one into the gallery. Do not, i repeat Do not wear high shoes or short skirts. . .otherwise your business will be all on show (much to the delight of some pervy men...at least on that day). high shoes are a no no because the steps that lead to the various sitting rows are as steep as Kilimanjaro! It's quite hellish.

There's not much protocol in this gallery.
If you sit in the middle of a row, you have a better view of the house although still not all of it. For instance you can't see the speaker but you can hear him quite clearly.

In terms of MPs conduct on that particular day. . .it was shocking. They walk in and the only concession they make to their surroundings is to bow ostentatiously to the speaker. But once they cross the line into the floor of the house, ah, it's like they are in a bar! They carry on their discussions in loud voices; at one time we could barely hear Njoki speaking. They hold meetings; the men walk around way more than the women.

When Njoki started reading her proposal, i noted at least 2/3 of the house walked out from both sides - Kiraitu, Mwiraria etc ! Some of the male MPs i remember who stayed on - Raila Odinga, Mutula Kilonzo, Nyachae, Gideon Konchellah, Michuki (though he didn't stay the full course). I think i counted all the women MPs in the house on that day. Most visibly vocal against the pronouncements of some of the male contributors - Adelina Mwau and Cecily Mbarire. It takes courage to point a finger at a man in a roomful of over 80% hostile men and few are willing to support you. Paul Muite performed quite well on this front and stood up to condemn the trivializing of sexual offences by speaker after speaker. I felt that if Kaparo had stayed on for this debate, he would not have let it degenerate into the farce the first day became. The deputy that day. . .i think it was David Musila . . .was just snoozing on the job! In my mind i'd always thought that the speaker's job was to ensure fair hearing of all contributions. . .but what i saw on that day was all about who has the loudest voice.

It took me back to primary school. Where there was a group of boys in a class - like over 70% of the boys were part of this - who just sat and heckled everyone just to get a laugh. . .the teacher, the prefects, the other students. And as we went on to upper primary their conduct began to border on lewd, loaded with sexual innuendo, misplaced bravado. . . and it was just allowed to go on by the school administration, making life hell for a number of students. That is how parliament is. . .it is a club of noise makers who make comments in the hope that it will elicit a laugh, even when it is at the expense of a Kenyan tax payer! The MPs i saw that day were basically there to elicit a laugh and solidify their membership to the misogynists club!

From the foregoing, you can probably tell that i did not return to the gallery or the house. It was too emotionally and physically draining.

Despite this, i'd urge everyone to try and go for even 1 hour. You'll realize what great responsibility you shirk, when one decides to vote along tribal, misogynistic leanings, for opportunistic political alliances and rogue MPs. It is very sobering!
I will vote hopefully even more wisely this time and support (financially, morally etc.) all those credible candidates who will emerge to vie for elections especially the women.

(note: unfortunately i can't find the list my friends and i drew up of the MPs who stayed for that debate and those who walked out. If i do find it i'll be happy to share it with you).

Posted by Mzalendo Editor on June 30, 2006

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