27 April 2008
Nairobi — The Vice-President has no constitutional authority and his function is to carry out functions assigned to him by the president, Kenya's first Attorney-General Charles Njonjo said on Saturday, commenting on the protocol war in the grand coalition.
Mr Njonjo added that the power-sharing agreement was between President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, not between the president and the VP, Kalonzo Musyoka. He termed the protocol drama played out between Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka on Thursday "sad and embarrassing for the nation".
During a peace meeting in Kipkelion, Mr Odinga criticised officials for not recognising that he was closer to the president than Mr Kalonzo, saying that under the structure of the grand coalition, deputies come under himself and the president.
The former AG noted that while the national accord provided for power-sharing between the president and the PM, the Kenya Constitution states that the VP is a presidential appointee. "He should therefore be gracious enough to acknowledge that order of precedence," said Mr Njonjo.
Mr Njonjo, speaking at his Muthaiga home in Nairobi, called on President Kibaki to take control over the protocol issue. He said that since Mr Odinga already conceded that the President is the Head of State and Head of Government, "it behoves President Kibaki to reciprocate that gesture by ensuring the Prime Minister, if not on equal footing with him, ranks second."
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