My Beef with Kenya's Parliament

Somehow I had to keep quiet a bit to listen, reflect and analyze the feedback. But don't I find it naive that a member parliament can argue that he did not vote for the gender bill because of a message from FIDA! I have read and reread the FIDA message to members of parliament. But what is wrong with it? What is wrong with the women and indeed the people of Kenya reminding their representatives that the country is watching; that women of this country are watching. Come on guys; I thought we took this people to parliament to represent us. Is FIDA not representing some constituency and is that constituency not part of the Kenyan people who are represented in parliament? Are members of FIDA not citizens of this country and cant they remind their members of parliament of their obligations? There was no any said threat in that message, and even if it was to be there, don't the people have the right to put their representatives on notice? cant we threaten to hold them accountable; cant we demand that they do somethings right and can't we use our vote, our power as the ultimate threat to have members of parliament deliver on their mandates? Why should FIDA be exempt from demanding this very bare minimum? As you can see I have many related questions and I am obviously not amused. But then again I am struggling to forgive those women parliamentarians who instead of going to Parliament to cast that crucial vote chose to accompany the president on his new found roadside development agenda tours. Well, we have a week to lobby. Make sure you talk to your member of parliament, remind them to vote for this bill next week; remind them that this has nothing to do with giving women free things; nothing to do with making women more powerful; the bill is just a mere attempt at correcting accumulated injustices against women. Kenya; the regional big brother; can't we even be ashamed that all other countries in the region have done far much better in terms of narrowing the gender gap in representation and other key government positions? Are we so blind to see what women are doing in other parts of the world in the transformation agenda? Can't we just step out and see what is happening in Rwanda, for example? Or do we want to be that team that Obama argued deploys only half of its players and expect to win?