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Annan meets Kenya Speaker

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 7 – Chief mediator Kofi Annan has praised the Speaker of the National Assembly for making decisions that have united Kenya.

Mr Annan says Kenneth Marende had made “Solomonic and judicious decisions” that had saved the country from sliding into ruin.

Even though he did not elaborate, his comments come against the backdrop of the Speaker’s decision to chair the House Business Committee following a protracted wrangle between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.

The Chairman of the African Union Panel of Eminent Personalities says the international community has goodwill for Kenya and wants to see the country prosper.
 
Mr Marende informed the former UN chief that Parliament had played its part mainly by passing the necessary legislation and requisite Bills that facilitates reforms in various sectors.

The Speaker in particular cited the enactment of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act 2008 that provides the roadmap to review of the Constitution and the referendum. The constitutional amendment also created the Interim Independent Electoral Commission and the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission.

These were part of the recommendations by the Independent Review Commission chaired by Justice Johan Kriegler, which recommended reforms in the electoral commission that Parliament had earlier adopted.

Parliament also adopted the report on the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence chaired by Justice Philip Waki. However, efforts for consensus building on the enactment of the relevant statutes as required in the report are ongoing.

Mr Marende told Mr Annan that Parliament had played its part and that the rest were the roles of the other arms of Government.

The Speaker advised that for purposes of more cohesion and quick movement in the reform front political parties required regular Parliamentary Group meetings which will help expedite the building of consensus that will lead to the realization of requisite legislative framework.

It was agreed that institutions of Governance should be strengthened if reforms were to be realised.

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The Speaker proposed that for quick implementation of the new constitution, Kenya should consider the possibility of putting the draft constitution in two parts namely: the largely agreed provisions and the contentious issues.

This would provide an opportunity for the people to pass the agreed provisions which can in turn be implemented as the contentious issues are resolved.

He thanked Mr Annan for his role in the Kenya peace process and urged him to continue until the full realisation of tranquillity and nationhood in the country.

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