Government business now managed in an organised, predictable manner

The Grand Coalition bringing together President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga was known for many tussles pitting the two leaders and their respective camps against each other.

One of the most interesting of these tussles in 2009 was who between Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Prime Minister Raila Odinga was the Leader of Government Business and chairman of the House business committee.

This was the dispute Speaker Kenneth Marende found dumped in his laps, months before a new Constitution came into force.

Traditionally, the post belonged to the VP and President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity assumed that Mr Musyoka would automatically get the post.

But Mr Odinga and his party ODM were convinced that by virtue of his position as Prime Minister and coordinator of government ministries, the position was his by right.

In his ruling on April 28, 2009, Mr Marende made the unprecedented step of declaring himself chairman of the business committee and asked the coalition to decide on the other position.

The ruling, described by many as ‘Solominic’, defused the political tension in government and calmed the nerves of a jittery nation still trying to find its footing after the devastating 2007/8 post election violence.

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Under the Constitution that was passed 20 months later, such a dispute is not expected as government business is managed in a more organised and predictable manner.

Government business in the National Assembly and the Senate is steered by the Majority Leaders - currently Aden Duale and Prof Kithure Kindiki respectively.

The duo are the Executive’s link men to Parliament. By virtue of their positions in the committees that plan the agenda of each day, Mr Duale and Prof Kindiki are able to determine what the priority is.

Mr Duale rubbed some people up the wrong way early on in the life of the National Assembly with his frequent references to State House and how easy it was for him to access the President.

Government business mostly comes in the form of Bills and Motions, which it prefers are best sponsored by Mr Duale or Prof Kindiki as this accords the legislation priority in House business.

Because the ruling coalition has a majority in both Houses, and in the committees that determine what is to be debated, the government often has its way.

Matters have also been helped by the fact that the Speakers of the two Houses – Justin Muturi and Ekwee Ethuro- were elected by Jubilee MPs.

Both had vied for seats in the March 2013 General Election and lost.

In the current set-up, it would be difficult to imagine a repeat of the test Mr Marende faced on that day but which he passed with flying colours.