Envoys urge Big Two to end stalemate on nominations

Ten foreign missions have urged President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to strike a compromise to pave the way for the implementation of the new Constitution.

A joint statement by the envoys issued on Monday expressed concern over the speed and direction the debate on the nomination of four constitutional officers had taken.

“We are dismayed that the current political climate is endangering the progress made. The coalition parties have a responsibility to deliver the reform agenda they agreed on and respond to the demand for a new form of politics,” read the statement.

“We are not seeing much progress with the implementation process of the new Constitution,” the statement adds.

The nominations made three weeks ago by the President have elicited sharp reactions from MPs with those allied to the Party of National Unity claiming consultations between the President and the PM were exhaustive. They also insist the President made the nominations within the law.

Their counterparts in the Orange Democratic Party cried foul, accusing President Kibaki of not consulting the PM over the nominations.

Swiss ambassador Jacques Pitteloud, who read the statement on behalf of the representatives from US, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, France, Norway and Switzerland, said the looming confrontation in Parliament over the nominations was fragile for the country.

“The Kenyan people expected broad agreement on key issues of substance,” read the statement.

The dignitaries maintained that those that best qualified should hold the key positions.

This comes barely a few days after President Kibaki differed with the Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende, who last week made a ruling in Parliament terming the nominations unconstitutional. The President has so far maintained the nominations were within his mandate.

The diplomats stated they would not take sides over the raging debate, but instead concentrate on seeing a transparent and consultative approach employed to end the “consultation stalemate.”

“We are not making judgments as to whether the current debate over the process of appointments of Chief Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions, Attorney General and Controller of Budget was constitutional. We are encouraging a process that gives confidence to Kenyans that the Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary are putting the interests of the country first.”

The ambassadors warned that civil peace was crucial and called on politicians to avoid speculating concerning the fate of the coalition government.

The Grand Coalition Government was formed in 2008 following a disputed election in 2007 that left 1,133 dead and more than 600,000 displaced.

British High Commissioner Rob Macaire said they were optimistic the President and the Prime Minister would reach an agreement.