Kenneth Otiato Marende, Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly made an official visit to Berlin Germany from 24th -27th April 2008. He was accompanied by MPs George Thuo (PNU) and Jakoyo Midiwo (ODM), both Chief whips of their respective parties, Owino Omollo, Deputy Clerk and Michael Sialai, Assistant clerk and Personal Assistant to the Speaker.

The trip was organized by Friedrich Ebert Foundation with the aim of giving insights to the Speaker on the workings of the Bundestag and also how to manage the coalition partners in parliament. The other purpose was to explore ways of establishing a joint Kenya/Germany Parliamentary Association between the Bundestag and the Kenyan parliament.

Hon. Marende while meeting with members of the Bundestag Parliamentary group for East Africa led by Mr. Patrick Meinhardt expressed his desire for assistance from the Bundestag to help strengthen Kenya’s Parliamentary Committees to enhance capacity on legislation formulation. The Speaker also said that there was need to strengthen political parties in Kenya to enhance democracy and the rule of law, saying that this will stop politicians from using political parties only as a vehicle to getting to parliament.

Mr. Meinhardt said that the Bundestag members were interested in having close relations with their counterparts in the Kenyan parliament. They will therefore invite seven MPs from Kenya to visit Germany in August/September 2008. Members of the group told the Speaker and his delegation that a grand coalition is only for a transitional period and can not last beyond one parliamentary term. They said that the coalition government should be able to tackle major reforms.

The delegation also met with Walter Kolbow, MP, Vice Chairman of the Social Democratic Party and Prof. Herta Daubler Gmelin, MP, former Justice Minister. Mr. Kolbow said that parties were fundamental foundations of democracy and hence the need for establishment of political parties structures. Gmelin said that Germany was ready to share her experience with Kenya if called upon to do so. Hon. Marende said as Parliament they were ready to learn from any mistakes Germany has made so that the same is not witnessed or experienced in Kenya.