Lawmakers have sharply criticised the proposed National Policy on Women’s Economic Empowerment, calling it vague, poorly structured and detached from ground realities.
The Social Protection Committee, which convened a high-level meeting with stakeholders, said the draft policy risks duplicating existing roles and undermining institutions already driving women’s empowerment across the country.
Committee Chair Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a said the policy lacks the clarity and structure needed to deliver real impact.
“We need a structured, inclusive and well-grounded approach that builds on existing institutions and mandates,” she said, warning that the current draft fails to align with Kenya’s broader development agenda.During discussions with representatives from the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), the Parliamentary Centre, civil society organisations and women’s rights groups, MPs faulted the policy for introducing new structures instead of reinforcing the established leadership of Women Representatives, who spearhead empowerment initiatives in all 47 counties.
“Do we need another body, or should we empower those already doing the work?” posed Hon. Ng’ang’a, noting that the creation of overlapping institutions would only dilute accountability and waste public funds.
Laikipia Woman Representative Hon. Jane Kagiri criticised the process for sidelining key stakeholders, including the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA).
“This work requires depth, dignity and inclusion—not a tick-box approach,” she said.Her sentiments were echoed by Hon. Joyce Bensuda, who said Women Representatives have proven their effectiveness.
“Women Reps are already delivering results. Fund and expand their mandate—don’t undermine them with poorly developed frameworks,” she said.Hon. Catherine Omanyo added that real empowerment comes from reinforcing what works. “Strengthen what works. Fund what empowers. Women deserve serious policy, not duplication,” she asserted.
The Committee is set to meet the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services on November 13, 2025, to demand answers on the policy’s shortcomings and push for a credible, well-coordinated framework that delivers tangible results for Kenyan women.
Lawmakers insisted that Kenya’s women deserve more than political tokenism, calling for policies grounded in consultation, accountability, and measurable impact.
