Junet Mohammed, the MP for Suna East Constituency, brought up a family and marriage issue in parliament, causing a stir in the national assembly, with the Kisii woman representative becoming resentful and furious about her own culture.
Kisii woman Representative Aburi Donya disclosed that in her Kisii community, it is customary for men to bow before women.
You will ruin our marriages. It is men who should kneel before women – Kisii Woman Rep Aburi Donya pic.twitter.com/dwB5dSQIKr
— Kenyans.co.ke (@Kenyans) November 19, 2024
“You will ruin our marriages. It is men who should kneel before women,” Kisii Woman Rep Aburi Donya said.
However, that sparked an uproar online. MP Junet Mohamed added that the debate was about adding some sweetness to marriages but not ruining them.
Mbita MP Millicent Odhiambo initiated the discussion on MPs If Women Should Kneel Before Men by calling out her colleague, Woman Representative for Bomet County Linet Toto, for kneeling before a male MP and questioning the Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, about her order.
“Mr. Speaker, my concern is that the Honorable Toto is kneeling.” “I understand that the member she is addressing is elderly, but is it appropriate for her to be in a kneeling position?
Millie Odhiambo pointed out, “In this house, we presume everyone to be equal; while it may show cultural respect, it is not in order. Toto was kneeling before Sotik MP Francis Sigei.
Joining the discussion, Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohammed alleged that MP Toto had travelled back from Uganda, where they presume she borrowed the mannerism and brought it to the August House.
“Mr. Speaker, I recently received information that Linet is traveling from Uganda.” “That’s when she learned the custom of kneeling before men. And that’s exactly how it should be,” Junet said in a lighthearted moment that had the MPs laughing.
However, Kisii MP Dorice Donya took the matter seriously, refuting discussions about having women kneel before men and stating that such talk in the House might ruin their marriages.
“Mr Speaker, this statement might be taken seriously, and when we go home, our men demand we start kneeling. You will be ruining our marriages. In this 21st century, we will not live in a society where men dictate what women should do.
Bringing the house to order, Speaker Moses Wetangula pointed out that women kneeling before men is a very normal behaviour, especially in his community.
“Honourable Members, Member for Bumula can tell you that from the community where we come from, women kneeling for their men is an ordinary course of things in the households,” Wetangula noted.
Female MPs strongly disagreed with his sentiments, as evidenced by their waving hands.
Most Ugandan women kneel before men as a sign of respect for the men in their society. For Uganda, it is a cultural practice of respect, comparable to other respectful practices such as bowing and curtsying.
This is why we never voted for her in 2017, because she used to abuse men when she used to work at egesa, but simba arati campaigned for her in 2022, and we voted for her. Let her know this is the final term she will be serving come 2027. We will vote for someone else.
— GHOST (@dogoti64) November 19, 2024
The National Assembly later went debating on the County Governments (Revenue Raising Process) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 11 of 2023) at the second reading stage.
The Bill implements the constitutional requirement of Article 209(5) of the Constitution by defining the process by which the national government, through the National Treasury, can exercise its policy oversight role. It also establishes the process by which the county governments can exercise their taxation authority.
The bill makes it clearer for county governments how to use their power to impose taxes, fees, levys, and duties. It does this by making sure that any proposed county government tax, fee, levy, or charge is in line with the Constitution and this Bill.
Additionally, it ensures that county government proposals adhere to Article 6(2) of the Constitution.
