Thursday, December 23, 2010

Kalonzo : State backs bid to quit ICC


By NATION TEAM newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Wednesday, December 22 2010 at 22:25

The controversial motion seeking to have Kenya withdraw from the Rome Statute is a government motion, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka told the House on Wednesday.
The Rome Statue creates the International Criminal Court. The Vice President’s remarks appeared to take the Speaker and some MPs by surprise when he described the motion by Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto as Government business.
“The House Business Committee deliberated on the motion to be here today. That is government business. We have no problem re-ordering business in the order paper so that we have this motion discussed first before other business. The House Business Committee is not bigger than this House and I will be guided by the feelings of this House.’’
Afternoon sitting are usually reserved for Government motions while those by private members are reserved for Wednesday morning sitting.
Mr Ruto’s motion, which was thrown out by Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim for violating the constitution, made its way back on Wednesday after amendments. The Chepalungu MP then gave notice to move the motion on Wednesday morning.
The Speaker said as far as he was concerned, Wednesday afternoon is reserved for government business and demanded to know from the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, who is Mr Musyoka, whether the Ruto motion had now become government business.
Assistant minister Kilemi Mwiria demanded that the VP provides leadership as to which between the government motion and that of a private member takes precedence. Mr Musyoka said: “I will be guided by the feelings of the House.’’
Mr Marende said Standing Orders were explicit on how to dispose business in the sequence it appears on the order paper or as the Speaker may direct.
Motions to be discussed before Mr Ruto’s included the approval of nominees to the Judicial Service Commission, the Commission for the implementation of the Constitution and commissioners to the Revenue Allocation Commission.

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