The results of the poll judges, who are the voters, are out: Rwanda will have more than 50 percent Women parliamentarians. There is an ecstatic feeling around Kigali City about the fact that women have garnered the majority in the next parliament. Whereas there are many who do not know exactly why this should be good for the people, some are clear about the great advantage the women, and the country as a whole, will gain from this fact. The ecstasy stems from many centuries of women being disadvantaged, pushed to perform only chores that pleasured the male specie. Not any more. Now that they have an opportunity to prove themselves as worthy equals of men, they are lapping it up, and using the opportunity maximally. Rwanda is now blessed to have the first parliament in the world to have women as majority. It has made history! But this euphoria should not go to anyone’s head. We should not have majority for mere majority’s sake. There is a tough road ahead, as fellow women will now look critically at the legislators’ performance and judge whether their presence is making any impact specifically on lifting them out of a melee of laws sponsored mostly by males, which are looked at in the main as discriminative against women, or silent about their welfare at best. Increased and systematic fighting of violence against women, looking out for children’s welfare, promoting and counseling women to bring out their potential, and generally rooting for the Rwandan woman and her child are no mean programmes. But essentially this is what we expect of them, so that in the end it is not seen as a mere fad, an international political gimmick, to have more women taking part in public affairs. Everyone recognizes the fact that women’s motherly instincts lead them to look out for the best for everyone, including the men, because they are their mothers too. Over to you now, women MPs. You now have the advantage; use it well. Ends
