By NATION TEAM newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Sunday, February 20 2011 at 22:01
A section of politicians and the civil society have supported Speaker Kenneth Marende’s ruling on the presidential nominations.
Gichugu MP Martha Karua dismissed President Kibaki’s criticism of the ruling that termed his nominations to four key posts as unconstitutional.
Speaking in Sabatia on Sunday, Ms Karua said the President’s actions amounted to threatening the Speaker and undermining the rule of law.
“The President and the people around him should read and understand the entire Constitution, not just a clause which they continue to quote to support the President’s nominations,” the MP said.
She said that Cap 166 of the Constitution states that the judicial positions should be advertised and the Judicial Service Commission left to interview and short-list the candidates.
“Mr Marende acted in good faith to help the country move forward... The President should act like a statesman and avoid being entangled in political wars if he wants to leave a good legacy,” Ms Karua said.
She appealed to the President to rethink his hard-line stance and consult with the Prime Minister because the process of appointing people to constitutional offices was not a party matter, but a national process. (Read: Kibaki: Why I’ll fight to the end)
Separately, Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa and a cross section of leaders from the North Rift also defended Speaker Marende’s ruling on the four nominations.
“It is wrong for leaders to plan a censure motion against Mr Marende over his decision when the matter was referred to him for arbitration,” Mr Wamalwa said on Sunday. He spoke during a harambee at St Immaculate Chelelemuk Catholic Parish.
Mr Wamalwa said Kenyans want peace and to see the new Constitution being implemented, not leaders fighting over appointments.
In Eldoret, ODM and PNU officials held separate conferences to express their approval and disapproval of the Speaker’s ruling.
ODM branch chairmen Jackson Kibor (Uasin Gishu), Francis Kigen (Keiyo) and Samuel Chemweno (Marakwet), and officials Tom Murgor and Francis Kiprop appealed to politicians to separate their 2012 interests from constitutional matters.
They appealed to President Kibaki to stop polarising the country by holding firm to his line of thought even after the Speaker and High Court ruled that the nominations were unconstitutional.
But, the PNU group led by Uasin Gishu chairman William Serem and National Youth Affairs chairman Christopher Bett condemned Mr Marende’s ruling and accused him of serving ODM’s interests.
“We support calls to pass a vote of no-confidence against him. He is out to frustrate the President’s unrivalled governance record,” Mr Bett said.
In Western Province, a Cabinet minister and a group of MPs dared colleagues threatening to table a censure motion against the Speaker to do so.
Planning Minister Wycliffe Oparanya and MPs David Were, Wilbur Ottichilo, and Yusuf Chanzu said Mr Marende overruled President Kibaki’s appointments because they violated the law.
Speaking over the weekend in Butere-Mumias, the leaders said attempts to force Mr Marende out were doomed to fail. “We have our secret weapon that we plan to employ at the right time to ensure Mr Marende keeps his post,” Mr Were said.
The civil society described the Speaker’s ruling on nominations as a bold decision. The leader of the National Civil Society Congress, Mr Morris Odhiambo, said the ruling increased Kenyans’ confidence in the Legislature.
“The reaction of the President and some of the political elite to this ruling is undermining, threatening and undermining the Speaker,” Mr Odhiambo said.
Reported by Paul Ogemba, Henry Andanje, Dennis Odunga, Casper Waithaka and John Shilitsa
Reported by Paul Ogemba, Henry Andanje, Dennis Odunga, Casper Waithaka and John Shilitsa
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