MCAs Fault Executive Over Gender Imbalance In Chief Officer Posts

By Our Correspondent

The County Assembly of Nyandarua has challenged the County Executive to align chief officer appointments with the constitutional two-thirds gender rule, citing a sharp gender imbalance in the current nominations.

The Committee on Public Service and Devolution said the list of chief officers is heavily skewed toward men and falls short of constitutional requirements on gender representation.

“Only two of the 15 appointed chief officers are women, raising concerns about compliance with the law,” Vice-chairperson Sasha Wamae told the House.

Article 27 of the Constitution states that no more than two-thirds of members of appointive or elective bodies shall be of the same gender. The provision seeks to promote balanced representation.

The committee said the present composition does not meet that threshold and urged the appointing authority to take deliberate and immediate corrective action.

Members said any future restructuring of departments must factor in gender parity to ensure the county complies with constitutional standards and promotes inclusivity.

They added that the Assembly is ready to work with the executive to align appointments with the law while strengthening service delivery for residents.

National trends show many counties continue to struggle with implementing the two-thirds gender rule in executive appointments, reflecting wider challenges in achieving gender parity across public institutions.