Speaker in talks with Kibaki over State jobs

President Kibaki has held talks with Speaker Kenneth Marende over the controversial nominations to key justice and budget office jobs.

At the same time, Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Friday said he was confident he will soon meet the President to resolve questions over the nominations.

Mr Marende met President Kibaki at the latter's Harambee House office to discuss the way forward following the Speaker’s ruling which referred the President’s nominees to four constitutional offices to House committees.

Addressing a news conference in Parliament Buildings, Mr Marende said the meeting had “no written agenda” but was meant to discuss “matters of mutual interest to both the Executive and the Legislature” with regard to the implementation of the Constitution.

The Speaker said the decision on whether the court declaration that the nominations are unconstitutional should hinder the House Committee meetings was already covered in his ruling. (READ: Court says Kibaki nominees illegal).

Giving a ruling on Thursday in which he asked parliamentary committees to look at the nominations, Mr Marende recalled the pain and tribulations the country underwent after the disputed presidential elections and warned leaders not to throw the nation into such bloodshed through similar circumstances.

The Speaker said: “Needless to say, the window remains open, and it is to be hoped, that developments may occur that make this important nomination process uncontested on the basis either of constitutionality or otherwise and thereby render such guidance and directions, from Mr Speaker, unnecessary.” (READ: Speaker holds back, but judge rules list illegal).

Solution Soon

Fielding questions from journalists after overseeing the signing of this year’s performance contracts by various ministries and departments, Mr Odinga said the controversy will soon be over.

“We will do it (resolve the dispute). We have done so in the past. We are going to meet and will sought it out,” he said.

Mr Odinga disputed accusations that he and President Kibaki had let Kenyans down by failing to amicably agree on the appointments.

In Parliament, MPs allied to both President Kibaki and Mr Odinga are said to have softened their positions following Mr Marende's appeal for leaders to put national interests before their own.