Bungoma County women representative Dr. Reginalda Wanyonyi has sharply criticized a move by some male members of the national assembly who proposed that the Women Rep. position should be scraped off, claiming there are many women in parliament. Speaking to the Ogiek community in Chepkitale in Mt Elgon Sub County after touring the area for the first time, Dr. Reginalda said women constitute only twenty percent of the total population while men cover the rest, saying if they want to cut down on cost then they should go by the percentage ratio.
She added that men ratio should be reduced to forty and women should remain with the twenty percent saying they should not blame women for the increased cost of sustaining the representatives in parliament saying each post created in the constitution has specific roles stipulated.
Dr. Reginalda also said she will follow up with the cabinet secretary of internal security Joseph Nkaissery to set up a police post in Chepkitale after residents complained of emerging issues of insecurity at the border point from people of the neighboring country of Uganda.
She further called upon women in the area to form groups that will be funded to start up development projects that will improve their living standards and make them independent and stable in their lives.
She applauded the efforts of Kapsorei/Laboot women group which has built a guest house in Chepkitale and she donated thirty plastic chairs to them saying the project will help them.
The Bungoma County women representative also said with education being a basic need in the community, she will work hard to ensure more teachers are employed in the region so that children can access proper education.
However, Dr. Reginalda called upon Chepkitale residents to support the re-election bid of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Samoei Ruto saying their track record for the period they have been in power is tremendous and they will be able to perform more if given another opportunity.
She also called upon the residents to maintain peace before and after the election period saying they’ll still need each other after the elections.
One of the members of the council of elders from the region Andrew Kitelo applauded the efforts of the County government to positively affect the lives of the people of Cheptikale, citing the construction of the road from Chepkitale to Kapsokwony as one of the benefits. However, he called upon the government to set up a health center in the region since they have to travel for over thirty kilometers to Kapsokwony to access a health facility which is a clear challenge, especially to expectant mothers.