Marende accused of exceeding mandate

A group of MPS has accused the Speaker of going beyond his powers and said they will seek to overturn his ruling next Tuesday.

The group led by Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Cabinet Minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere accused Mr Kenneth Marende of denying Parliament a chance to vet the nominees. “He cannot amend the Constitution using his ruling,” Mr Ruto said.

Mr Mwakwere claimed the Speaker was attempting to run the Executive. “This ruling is an insult to Parliament and a disregard of the Constitution,” the minister said.

And Dujis MP Aden Duale said the Speaker had carried out a “one man coup”.

Mr Ruto argued that the Standing Orders the Speaker invoked were subordinate to the Constitution.(Read: Speaker's ruling on Kibaki nominees)

He said the Speaker had consulted “other audience” other than MPs. “When a matter is referred to Parliament, it is not referred to the Speaker.”

Other MPs in the group included Mohammed Kuti, Abu Chiaba, Ali Bahari, Joshua Kutuny, Peris Simam, Charles Keter, Jamleck Kamau and Chachu Ganya.

But a group of ODM MPs, among them deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi, assistant minister Elizabeth Ongoro and MPs Rachel Shebesh and Millie Odhiambo supported the ruling.

Mr Mudavadi said the Speaker had shown that he defended the Constitution and urged the principals to embark on fresh head hunting on competitive terms.

But deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta accused the Speaker of seeking to usurp the President’s powers. “We have to take whatever means to ensure the Executive authority is respected,” he said.