A total of 12 women will compete for a vacant Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) position after the commission left out six men who had also applied for the constitutionally reserved seat.
The six men were among 75 Kenyans who submitted applications for the position of non-Member of Parliament (MP) commissioner. However, none of them made it to the shortlist released by the commission yesterday, leaving the contest entirely to female candidates.
Those shortlisted include former MPs Dennitah Ghati, Professor Jacqueline Oduol, Fatuma Ibrahim Ali and Sunjeev Kaur Birdi.
The other candidates are Betty Mbonne Nyage, CPA Margaret Nyakoboke Ogega, Diana Nadzua Mwacharo, Dr Brenda Sara Khanani, Mary Mwende Muthoka, Ambassador Amina Ali Abdalla, Racheal Wanjiku Kihara and Stellah Chepkemboi Ruttoh.
The vacancy followed the end of the six-year term of former Kakamega Woman Representative Rachel Ameso Amolo, who joined the PSC in June 2020 as a non-MP commissioner. She took over the position previously held by Lorna Mumelo.
The position is reserved for a woman under Article 127 of the Constitution. The law provides for a nine-member PSC made up of the Speaker of the National Assembly as chairperson, seven MPs appointed by Parliament, and one woman and one man appointed from among people with experience in public affairs who are not MPs.
The men who had applied for the position were Danstan Osiemo Nyangaresi of Nyamira, David Musyimi Kiio of Makueni, Erick Otieno Okeyo, Kennedy Adongo, Ombui Ayienda Peterson and Raphael Ochieng Odete.
The vacancy was formally announced on August 14 by the Clerk of the Senate, Jeremiah Nyegenye, who also serves as secretary to the commission. Applicants were given until August 28 to submit their applications.
The 12 shortlisted candidates will now face interviews on September 10. Following the interviews, the PSC will recommend a suitable candidate to the National Assembly and Senate for appointment in line with the Standing Orders of the two Houses.
The commission has also opened the process to public scrutiny, inviting members of the public to submit information concerning the suitability of any of the shortlisted candidates.
"Members of the public are invited to avail, in writing, by memoranda on oath, any information of interest concerning the suitability of any of the shortlisted applicants" Mr Nyegenye said in the notice.
Among those seeking the position is Birdi, a former nominated MP who became the first Kenyan Asian woman to serve in the national legislature.
Ghati served as Migori County Woman Representative between 2013 and 2017 before being nominated to Parliament by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), where she remained until 2022.
Professor Oduol was also nominated by ODM to represent marginalised women in the National Assembly. She later served as the Siaya County Executive Committee member for Water.
Ali represented Wajir County as Woman Representative in the 11th Parliament after being elected on an ODM ticket. She later served in the East African Legislative Assembly and became vice-chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
Another candidate, CPA Ogega, is a tax and finance professional. She previously served on the selection panel that recruited two members of the Teachers Service Commission who were later appointed by President William Ruto.
The position also comes with enhanced staff support and other benefits for commissioners. PSC commissioners are provided with a government vehicle and a State driver, while they receive Sh40,000 for every sitting.
The PSC was established under Article 127 of the Constitution and is responsible for facilitating the smooth functioning of Parliament.