Uhuru asks Judiciary to be bold in dealing with women's issues

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday asked the Judiciary to be bold in dealing with corruption and issues touching on women's empowerment and gender.

He told the Judiciary the government would give it full support and made a case for the support of women and girls.

Addressing an international conference of women judges in Nairobi, the President asked political parties and Members of Parliament to consider gender representation and support the proposed two thirds gender law, saying economic freedom must not know gender.

“You are equal to the challenges that face us today,” he said at the official opening of the conference at Safari Park Hotel and Casino in Nairobi on Wednesday.

“Women and girls still have trouble getting their rights adjudicated and enforced by our justice system. We are still contending with discrimination and domestic violence against them. We will not be as prosperous as we hope, or as fair as we aim to be, if half the population is disadvantaged and discriminated against,” Mr Kenyatta told the 15th Africa regional conference for the International Association of Women Judges, the second to be held in Kenya since its formation 26 years ago.

He also congratulated judges Effie Owour, Joyce Oluoch, who was elected vice-president of the ICC in 2015, and the Court of Appeal’s Roselyn Nambuye for being the founders of the Kenya Women Judges Association which hosted their counterparts from other countries.

Attorney General Githu Muigai, Chief Justice David Maraga, Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi, KWJA chairperson Hannah Okwengu and IAWJ president Susana Medina were present.