How Marende delivered Solomonic ruling

By Peter Opiyo

Tough calling: Speaker recalls how they worked overtime to memorise the verdict on the Raila, Kalonzo  tussle over Leader of Government Business position before finally printing it 15 minutes to the start of the session

National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende for the first time revealed how he kept off the Executive and Intelligence officers from laying their hands on the landmark ruling that broke an impasse over the position of Leader of Government Business.

Marende said the stakes were very high and the Executive and Intelligence officers kept on asking him whether he would agree with President Kibaki in his ruling.

Kibaki had just appointed Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka as the Leader of Government Business prompting Prime Minister Raila Odinga to write to Marende appointing himself to the same position. This resulted in an impasse that threatened to paralyse parliamentary business.

Raila’s ODM was of the view that as a principal partner of the Grand Coalition Government the Leader of Government Business should go to the Orange party while on the other hand PNU alliance argued that the post has traditionally gone to the Vice- President.

“Everybody wanted it (the ruling), from the highest office to intelligence officers, but they could not have their hands on it. They kept on asking, Mr Speaker are you going to agree with the President? But I said I will follow the law,” said Marende.

The reason the officers could not have their hands on the ruling was because Marende, with the assistance of the retired Clerk Patrick Gichohi, and Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye, had not printed the ruling until 15 minutes to the start of that afternoon’s sitting. Nyegenye was then the Head of Legal Department in Parliament.

“The final rulings of those ‘Solomonic’ decisions would not be ready until 15 minutes to the start of the session,” said Marende.

While delivering the ruling in April 2009, Marende appointed himself as the Chairman of the House Business Committee and tasked the joint Government Chief Whips to run the affairs of the Government in the House and threw the ball back to Kibaki and Raila to resolve the impasse, in the meantime.

Daily agenda

Traditionally the Leader of Government Business Chairs the House Business Committee, a team that sets the daily agenda of the House.

Speaking at the farewell dinner for retiring senior officers of Parliament, Marende described the two as “the pillar” of his landmark rulings.

“Some of those ‘Solomonic’ rulings had the hands of Gichohi in them. Together with Nyegenye they were the pillars of some of these rulings,” said Marende.

National Assembly hosted the Dinner to bid farewell to Gichohi, Senior Deputy Clerk Peter Omolo, and Head of Parliamentary Training Centre Werunga Murumba. Mr Omolo will vie for Kisumu governor’s seat in the March 4 polls.

Marende said the officers have served Parliament and by extension the country tireless and with distinction.

“They have served Parliament and the country with distinction, they have worked tirelessly. They are hardworking and diligent workers,” the Speaker noted.

Gichohi, who served in Parliament for 33 years, thanked staff for the support they gave him and described Marende as a hardworking and dedicated servant.

“On January 15, 2008, the Speaker stood for five hours swearing in members, even though he had no uniform. This really inspired me,” said Gichohi in reference to the charged swearing in of MPs following the disputed presidential poll results.

Nyegenye, at the same time, praised Gichohi and Omolo for giving guidance to him during their time in Parliament.