By Agwanda Saye
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) wants the Limuru Country Club to uphold gender rights under the Constitution.
LSK CEO Apollo Mboya said that the exclusive club had breached the constitutional provision on non-discrimination on gender.
He said that Article 27 of the Constitution provided that every person was equal before the law and had the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.
“Equality includes the full benefit and equal enjoyment of all rights and fundamental freedoms – irrespective of gender,” Mboya said.
The CEO said that men and women had the right to equal treatment including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres.
The Board of Directors of Limuru Country Club held a meeting on December 18, 2012 and allegedly made a by law to disenfranchise lady members, according to documents at LSK.
“We (LSK) call on the Commissioner of Sports Gordon Oluoch and the National Gender and Equality Commission to intervene on the stalemate,” Mboya says.
The CEO said that the issue was before the LSK Gender Committee which would advise the Governing Council on legal steps to take.
“We shall consider legal necessary legal action if the matter is not resolved amicably,” Mboya said.
Mboya said that LSK was in possession of documents showing that the Board of the golf club passed a discriminatory by law that was not in line with the Constitution.
“The by law says that the golf committee was a male affair …lady golfers can only attend its meetings as guests,” Mboya said.
Rose Mambo, Dr Caroline Wangari and Martha Vincent who are members of the club have instructed their lawyers Murgor & Murgor Advocates to write to the club over the matter.
Lawyer Philip Murgor copied the legal letter to Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Ababu Namwamba and National Gender and Equality Commission chairperson Winnie Lichuma.
Murgor said that the Board of Directors had taken away voting rights of the women and consigned them to mere guests during general meetings.
“We are concerned because Dr Wangari and Ms. Vincent have even served as Lady Golf Captains at the exclusive club,” Mboya said.
He said that LSK was concerned that constitutional provisions as stipulated under the Bill of Rights were increasingly breached on economic, social, political spheres.
“It is high time we accept that society has undergone a complete transformation and the Constitution should be our guide,” Mboya said.
Ends