NAIROBI: AFTER THE WITHDRAWALS,WHAT NEXT?

President Kibaki's withdrawal of the list of nominees for key constitutional offices caught most in the political class in both parties of the coalition and outside and many Kenyans by off guard when he stated that he had withdrawn the nominees to the posts of the Attorney General,Chief Justice,Director of Public Prosecutions and the Controller of Budget.

The reasons for this may be depicted from the president's speech.Public interest was one,the country's welfare was the other and to give room for further consulrtaions could be annother reason why the president decided to withdraw the controversial appointments that had held the country to a political stalemate for almost a month.Prime Minister Raila Odinga was later to hold a conference where his speech can be said to be a congraturatory one on the part of the president and said that this was a sign that Kibaki had seen the light and left the advise of his advisors whom raila says were tyhe ones misleading the president and that they were oppossed to change and reforms in the country.

President Kibaki said that new appointments to the position of the Chief Justice would be done by the judicial Service Commision while those of the DPP and the Controller of Budget be done by the Public Service Commission a comment that broufght out Raila's comments when he said that the PSC is not reformed to be at per with the new constitution and that it was not in a position to handle the appointments.Bearing in mind that the PSC is the same commission that selected the commisioners of the Constitutional Implementation Commission which were supported by Raila himself as being fair,the question arises,What does the Prime Minister want?

The appointment of the Attorney General who is suppossed to be in office by the end of August will be handled by the two coalition partners but the ODM and its allies say that there is still time and that the other three appointments should be done first.This may not be a wise decision but is supported by many including the AG himself who testified against the president saying that Kibaki had breached the new law.Wako is alleged to be supporting the ODM on the basis that it is not fair he be replaced before his term ends.

What next after the withdrawals?The question remains.Politicians go back to the drawing board to come up with better strategies on how and whom they would like appointed to the post of the new AG.Kenyans and Kenya must move on, the country must tyo get to a stand still as was witnessed during the appointments stalemate where even the tourism industry stagnated and the stock exchange was at a stop.The Kenyan currency also witnessed a depreciation against major currencies and tension was high as the ODM party was said to be planning to call for a snap election within three months.

The keyword is KENYA MUST MOVE ON regardless of the political situation in the country and all Kenyans of goodwill must get this right and fast.

Kelvin Mwangi,

Nairobi.