By Mangoa Mosota and Martin Mutua

The controversy over leader of Government Business will be solved soon, House Speaker Kenneth Marende has said.

Marende said progress had been made over the issue, which threatened to paralyse parliamentary proceedings earlier this month.

Mr Marende said he held talks with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga over the stalemate.

"Following fruitful negotiations I have had with the President and Prime Minister, a solution will be arrived at soon," he said.

Although he would not reveal when the Leader of Government Business would be named, Marende said proceedings in the House have been smooth.

"We have been able to run parliamentary business well since I took over as the interim Leader of Government Business," he said at Kisumu Pentecostal Church.

In April, ODM and PNU locked horns over who between the Raila and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka should hold the position.

While ODM insisted Raila should be the chairman of the House Business Committee, PNU argued Kalonzo, who had been holding the position, should carry on.

In an unprecedented move, Marende took over the chairmanship of the committee, which determines the agenda for parliamentary proceedings, but said he would relinquish the post when the President and PM finally agree on who should be Leader of Government Business.

Separately, Marende called for abolition of the quota system of education, saying it propagates bigotry and cultural insensitivity.

Marende said students must be allowed to study far and wide within the country in order to gain exposure and understanding of other people’s cultures.

He made the remarks when he officiated at the official opening of Kenyatta University Culture Week.

Vice-Chancellor Olive Mugenda and other university officials accompanied him.

The Speaker called for an overhaul of the education system, which he said should be replaced with a new one that integrates nationalism and tolerance, among other virtues.

He said the new system should also embrace science, technology and innovations as drivers of economic development.