David Maraga, Kenya’s former Chief Justice, renowned for annulling the 2017 presidential election, has pledged that his government will include 50% women, emphasizing constitutional gender parity to ensure balanced leadership on issues like health and education.
“Women excel this way, men excel the other way. When you put this together, you have a balanced government. When we did away with the old constitution and embraced the new one, one of the things that needed to be implemented quickly was the two-thirds gender rule,” Maraga asserted.
Speaking in a campaign video on his X handle on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, Maraga said that his ‘50% women’ pledge aligns with Kenya’s 2010 Constitution’s two-thirds gender rule, which is enshrined in Article 27(8) of the Constitution.
According to the former Chief Justice, the rule stipulates that no more than two-thirds of any public body should comprise members of the same gender. His statement comes after he, on 2 October 2025, settled on the United Green Movement (UGM) party as his platform for the 2027 race, serving as the party’s flagbearer for the presidential poll.
Historical Context
Previously, Maraga has been instrumental in pushing for the implementation of the rule. In 2020, he was so serious about the two-thirds gender rule that he went on to propose the dissolution of Parliament for failing to enact legislation that would operationalize the rule.
It is no surprise that with his 50% women pledge, Maraga seeks to strengthen his previous stance through a proactive approach that embeds gender balance in leadership and governance structures.
Apart from being a strong and timely start toward meeting his political ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections, Maraga’s ‘50% women’ pledge clearly aligns with his historical advocacy for constitutional adherence and could set a precedent for future governments if implemented.
