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Kenya women MPs' handbag protest
Women members of parliament in Kenya have walked out, in protest at a ban on
handbags in the debating chamber.
It was imposed ten months ago because the parliamentary authorities feared
bags could conceal dangerous weapons.

But the women have campaigned against the ban ever since and walked into
parliament with their bags on Thursday.

When parliamentary speaker Francis Ole Kaparo refused to waive it on
Thursday, 12 of them walked out to applause from other female MPs.

One of the women legislators who walked out, Amina Abdullah, told the BBC's
Network Africa that there was cheering from male MPs as well when they
marched out and they felt they had the support of many of their colleagues.

"The handbag issue is just one of a number of gender sensitive problems we
experience," she said.

"We tend to require writing material, some of us require glasses... Male MPs
put all their pens in their jackets and pockets. I guess they have a minimum
of six pockets," she said.

She said they were would wait for a response from the speaker when parliament
reconvenes on Tuesday before deciding on what they would do next.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3226252.stm

Published: 2003/11/21 09:58:26 GMT

© BBC MMIII

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