Speaker MarendeThe manner in which the National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende responded to the LSK chairman Okong’o O’Mogeni and some of us who want a strong Opposition in the August House shows how some of our so-called leaders cannot stand up and be counted as tru democrats.
Marende now enjoys the star status of being a Speaker and it seems he couldn't care less when it comes to the Opposition in Parliament. The arrogance the Speaker displayed in fighting the idea of an Opposition in Parliament amazed me.
What O’Mogeni and others asked the Speaker to do was only to facilitate the nurturing of the Official Opposition in Parliament by a way of reviewing the appropriate Standing Orders.
As a two term MP and a lawyer by training Marende is very much aware that to maintain quality Parliamentary debates and passing of laws and Bills that will benefit Kenyans, there ought to an Opposition recognised by the House.
In addition, as emphasised by the LSK chairman, the Standing Orders demand that for any House Committee to be properly constituted, it must have representatives from the Opposition as members and the Chair.
No one said Marende or his prestigious position was responsible for organising and managing the Opposition in the Parliament. Far from it, what people want is for him to facilitate the nurturing of the Opposition in Parliament by the way of reviewing Parliamentary Standing Orders to ensure that the smaller parties can organise and play the role of the Opposition.
The review of the Standing Orders is the same way the Speaker used his discretionary powers to shorten the debate that preceded the constitutional amendment with far reaching implications.
It is the attitude such the one displayed by Marende that make Kenyans start to miss Francis ole Kaparo as the Speaker of the august House. Kaparo was an excellent and fine and very fair Speaker of our legislative body.
What people want is an Official Opposition in the National Assembly particularly with such a bloated Cabinet.
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