Reserved seat gender quotas are the most common method utilised in Africa to increase the number of women in national parliaments. However, heated debate continues about its benefits given that such quotas are seen as having many negative aspects, including that of undermining the status of women MPs in general. This comparative study of Tanzania and Kenya analyses the effects of applying reserved seat gender quotas. Tanzania has been using a form of reserved seat quotas since 1975; Kenya only began its use in its 2013 election, and even then in a very limited fashion. Without the use of quotas, however, the percentage of women in both parliaments would be below 10%. This comparative study examines the impact of quotas through an analysis of the personal characteristics, actions and leadership roles of the different categories of MPs in the two parliaments based primarily on data collected from parliamentary archives of Kenya and Tanzania. The findings show that although women in reserved seats are on average younger, less well educated and experienced than other MPs, this difference is marginal. Women MPs as a group have strong personal characteristics. Yet, in spite of this, few women are selected for leadership positions in both parliamentary committees and the cabinet. The research also shows that women MPs, regardless of the type of seat they occupy, are much more likely to represent women’s interests than male MPs and that women MPs are as active in parliament as men. The findings of this thesis suggest that, on balance, the use of reserved seat quotas has been positive. It also indicates that the perceived low status of reserved seat MPs has little do with the women selected and much to do with how the quota system is implemented. It is the latter that assigns reserved seat MPs a lower status than constituency MPs, putting them at a disadvantage. Keywords: