Another litmus test as House picks Speaker
Posted by africanpress on January 15, 2008
By Standard TeamThe country on Tuesday faces another litmus test at the ballot and by extension its now increasingly fragile democracy as the doors of the Tenth Parliament open with another high stakes political game — electing the House Speaker.
By 2.30pm, 207 MPs-elect are expected to be seated in the Chamber at the main Parliament Buildings in readiness for yet another battle, whose outcome for Party of National Unity (PNU) and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) could have far-reaching political implications.
If the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) gazettes in good time some 12 Nominated MPs, who have already been picked by entitled parties and their names forwarded to Anniversary Towers, the number of combatants could swell to 219.
The nominating parties would, however, not divulge the names of their respective nominees.
This came on a day Safina Party went to court to challenge a controversial decision by Mr Samuel Kivuitu, the ECK chairman, to bar the party from picking its designated single nominee. There were also unconfirmed reports of parallel nominees lists from ODM and ODM-Kenya finding their way to Anniversary Towers.
But three MPs will still miss out in action after ECK nullified, citing irregularities, the parliamentary election outcome of three constituencies — Kamukunji, Kilgoris and Wajir West.
In preparation for a fight that will again be determined by numbers, both PNU and ODM went into retreats and onto the drawing board to plot how to garner the winning numbers.
The voting is expected to be another closely contested affair, perhaps even “too close to call”, as pollsters variously described the now fiercely contested presidential vote outcome between President Kibaki (PNU) and Mr Raila Odinga (ODM), whose announcement promptly plunged the country into a crisis of an unprecedented scale.
It is within this politically polarised background that MPs converge today to transact business.
A win for PNU today would in more ways than one help consolidate and further entrench the ruling party. But more importantly, it would crystallise PNU’s resolve to have Kibaki see through his controversial second and last term.
Even though it has the numbers, a loss for ODM on the other hand, given the significance of the position of Speaker, could jeopardise the party’s plan to make Parliament the next battle ground.
PNU restated on Monday that it will today front Mr Francis Xavier Ole Kaparo, who boasts immense experience having served three five-year consecutive terms as the Speaker of the National Assembly. Kaparo was first elected to the seat in 1993, making history as the first Speaker after the re-introduction of multi-party politics in 1992.
The Orange party, on the other hand, is fielding Mr Kenneth Marende, a banker-turned-advocate and a vocal member of the Ninth Parliament. He served as a member of the vibrant Parliamentary Committee on Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs, which played a key role in the legislative agenda by sponsoring crucial amendments, and Standing Orders Committee, constituted to review archaic House rules.
Both parties have an uphill task of garnering a simple majority of 138 MPs-elect — assuming the nominated lot will not be available for business today — to clinch the Speakership.
Even though ODM and its ally, Narc, start off with a combined 102 MPs-elect, the Orange party and its chief affiliate will still have to engage in extensive deep sea fishing from other fringe parties to tilt the scale in its favour.
PNU and ODM-K through Mbooni MP-elect, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, upped the psychological warfare against the opponents with the declaration: “We are the majority in the House. Let ODM read the mood in the country.”
Mutula — a renowned city lawyer— spoke in Naivasha at a PNU/ODM-K retreat attended by 98 MPs. The Small Parties Parliamentary Group (SPPG), some of whose members have gravitated towards the PNU/ODM-K axis, was represented by an undisclosed number of MPs-elect from Safina, CCU, Kenda, Ford-P, New Ford-K, Sisi Kwa Sisi and Ford-Kenya.
The PNU/ODM-K axis is backing the erstwhile reformer and Imenti Central MP-elect, Mr Gitobu Imanyara, for the position of Deputy Speaker.
Former Nominated MP, Ms Njoki Ndung’u, who had also shown interest in the post of Speaker — a first from a woman in Kenya— didn’t turn up in Naivasha even though she had been invited.
In a subtle admission that the task ahead was tricky, Mutula, who co-chaired the Naivasha meeting with Vice-President Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, said: “Though the issue has been very complicated, the talks have proceeded extremely well”.
He added: “We have struck a deal whereby we (PNU/ODM-K) will produce the House Speaker, while the SPPG will produce the Deputy Speaker”.
In Karen, Nairobi, where ODM, its affiliate party Narc and PDP had retreated to, up to 106 MPs turned up.
“The battle will today shift to the House after they rigged us out. We are determined to ensure that Kenyans get what they deserve and that is justice attained during the polling,” Pentagon member and Eldoret North MP-elect, Mr William Ruto, said.
The party leader, Raila Odinga, chaired the sessions at the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Training Institute.
Pentagon member, Mrs Charity Ngilu, said of the party candidate: “We have confidence in Marende as the new Speaker. We will vote for him in total as ODM and our affiliates”.
ODM is understood to have brought on board three more small parties by last night. But like PNU, the party refused to discuss details.
ODM confirmed it had presented a list of its six nominees, but would not divulge details.
The ODM MPs-elect were to reportedly spend the night at the Karen facility to fine-tune their act ahead of today’s showdown.
On Monday night, a circular from the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Samuel Ndindiri, instructed new members to arrive in the main Parliament Buildings and be seated in the chamber by 2.30pm.
The dispatch advised members to use the Ministers’ entrance on Harambee Avenue, opposite County Hall.
To avoid confusion, Ndindiri advised the new members, because they are not known to parliamentary staff, to carry along their certificates of election from the ECK and their national Identity cards or passports for verification.
The only business on the Parliamentary Order Paper today will be to pick the holder of the coveted seat of the National Assembly Speaker and his/her deputy.
The next business will be the swearing-in of MPs by the new Speaker.
Unlike when members vote in the Chamber through acclamation, the election of the Speaker is conducted through secret ballot.
Interestingly, this will be the first time that President Kibaki will come face-to-face with Raila.
Because he has not been sworn-in as MP and will not be performing a State function, the President will be required to occupy the seat of the Leader of Government Business on the right hand side of the Speaker.
This means that even his aide-de-camp will be left at the door and will not be inside the Chambers.
The Clerk will conduct the proceedings up to the point a new Speaker is elected and takes over.
Reports by Alex Kiprotich, Ben Agina, Martin Mutua, Ayub Savula and Antony Gitonga
Lifted and published by Korir, API/APN africanpress@chello.no source.standard.ke
