African lawmaker says women should not be judges

A story released today by the East African Standard reports that according to Bumula MP Lawrence Sifuna, women should not be appointed judges because most of the current women justices are divorcees.

Sifuna added that women should also not be elected to the Kenyan Parliament because they divorce their husbands when they become lawmakers.

He also wants the Ministry of Culture and Social Services changed to the Ministry of Civilization and Social Services because women should not hold certain offices.

MP Josephine Sinyo, agitated by the statement shot up on a point of order and demanded that House Speaker Francis Kaparo intervenes in the matter and orders Sifuna to withdraw and apologize to women.

A visibly infuriated Sinyo told the House that women in the Judiciary are appointed according to their professional qualifications and not their domestic background.

"Mr Speaker Sir, I am seeking through you to have the Member withdraw and apologize to my learned friends for his remarks," she added.

At this juncture Kaparo shot to his feet and gave Sifuna a dressing down.

Kaparo told the legislator that being a senior Member of the House, he ought to have known that Members are not allowed to discuss the conduct of officers of the Judiciary or that of other Members without a substantive Motion. Kaparo further told Sifuna that there was no reason for him to have ventured into the private affairs of other Kenyans who are not in the House and cannot defend themselves.

"I have no problem with you lowering your own dignity but I will not allow you to lower the dignity of this House and I order you now to withdraw those remarks and apologize," Kaparo ruled.