SPEAKER MARENDE TO VISIT U.S. JULY 12-18

UNCLAS NAIROBI 001263 AF/E FOR SUSAN DRIANO; AF/RSA FOR KATHLEEN MOODY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KE SUBJECT: SPEAKER MARENDE TO VISIT U.S. JULY 12-18 REF: NAIROBI 848 ¶1. This is an action cable; see paragraph 4. ¶2. Post has learned that the Speaker of the Kenyan Parliament, Kenneth Marende, will visit Washington DC from July 12-18. The Speaker will be traveling with delegation of four Kenyan parliamentarians on a visit sponsored by the United States House of Representatives' House Democracy Assistance Committee (HDAC). The visit is to reciprocate a visit paid by an HDAC delegation to Kenya in July 2008. According to the information we received, HDAC is trying to arrange for Marende to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the visit. ¶3. Speaker Marende has emerged from the post-election crisis as one of the few truly credible leaders in Kenya with a demonstrated commitment to implementing the reform agenda. As Speaker he has spearheaded reforms to make Parliament a more transparent body, permitting live broadcast of parliamentary debate and opening up parliamentary committees to public attendance and input. He has spearheaded reform of Parliament's rules of procedure, which has increased its independence from the traditionally-dominant executive branch. Marende has also worked behind the scenes and publicly to urge the troubled grand coalition government to speak with one voice. This was most visibly demonstrated in April, when he refused to decide who among the Prime Minister and the Vice President was the coalition government's nominee to be Leader of Government Business in Parliament and the Chair of the House Business Committee. Both the Vice President and the Prime Minister claimed to be the government's candidate. Marende instead urged the government to meet to resolve the issue and to speak with one voice. His ruling garnered widespread public praise for its wisdom and its call for the government to move forward on the reform agenda (Reftel). ¶4. Action Request: Speaker Marende's visit comes at a time when we are pushing hard for implementation of the reform agenda. Thus, the visit presents an opportunity to provide a public platform for one of the few leaders in Kenya who has demonstrated his commitment to reform. Post requests that the Department schedule meetings at the highest appropriate level for Speaker Marende, including the opportunity to make public statements in support of the reform agenda. Strong, visible support by the Department for Marende, in conjunction with the Kenyan public's overwhelming support for U.S. policy in Kenya, will assist Marende to return to Kenya to push for the reform agenda with increased vigor. RANNEBERGER