Male Governors have come out to oppose the recommendations contained in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report which requires that women be nominated as deputies in the gubernatorial race.
The male governors who maintained that women should be given a chance to compete with their male colleagues on equal footing warned that the move by BBI is unfair and dictatorial and against the spirit of the constitution.
The Governors had convened in Naivasha to seek consensus in the BBI report ahead of the proposed referendum in June.
The move was however opposed by their female counterparts who said that the clause should be allowed to sail through.
Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu while differing with her male counterparts said the recommendation will help build capacity for women to take up leadership roles in future.
However, according to a section of male Governors, the BBI proposal was flawed and unconstitutional.
Led by Migori Governor Okoth Obado they noted that women should be given a chance to compete with their male colleagues on a level field.
The Governors were however in agreement that the document needs further amendments to capture divergent views.
Elsewhere, leaders from pastoralist communities have vowed to support the building bridges initiative report.
The leaders who spoke after a meeting with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, said the presentations they made during a public participation forum which included among others equity in resource allocation and protection of community land will be addressed.
Raila said a three-member technical committee will be formed to address the gaps pointed out by the leaders.
Leaders from the pastoralist communities under the Pastoralists Parliamentary Group and the Frontier Counties Development Council have reaffirmed their support for the building bridges initiative report.
The turn of events follows a consultative meeting between leaders from northern Kenya and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at a Nairobi hotel.
Raila said a three-member technical committee will be constituted to address concerns from leaders before the implementation of the BBI report.
Raila says the document seeks to end historical marginalization by unlocking the economic potentials of northern Kenya.
The leaders said they will be ready to support the document if issues like the protection of the community land, revenue allocation, equalization of funds and the formation of a livestock marketing authority are addressed.
