Ministers snub Raila

Cabinet ministers Friday skipped a crucial meeting of the council mandated to oversee Kenya's economic growth and social equity.

Head of the Civil service Francis Muthaura raised the red-flag over the absence of at least 10 ministers during the 19th National Economic and Social Council meeting at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi chaired by Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Mr Odinga said the ministers did not take the meeting seriously saying if it were a Cabinet one “they would have been there.”

“We are discussing here issues relating to work of their ministries. I am especially concerned about those who have been consistently absent,” Mr Odinga, said.

Mr Muthaura said the number of people absent at the 40-member council raised a lot of concern, adding: “People have to respect their obligations to attend.”

Those absent included: Deputy Prime Ministers Uhuru Kenyatta and Musalia Mudavadi (Finance and Local Government respectively), John Michuki (Environment), William Ruto (Agriculture), Wicliffe Oparanya (Planning and National Development), Sally Kosgey (Higher Education) and Kiraitu Murungi (Energy).

Others were: Najib Balala (Tourism), Chirau Mwakwere (Transport), Mutula Kilonzo (Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs) and Attorney General Amos Wako.

Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula and Industrialisation’s Henry Kosgey arrived after the complaint had been raised.
Those present were Housing minister Soita Shitanda, Amos Kimunya (Trade), Beth Mugo (Public Health) and Chris Obure (Public Works).

Also absent were Central Bank governor Njuguna Ndung’u among others.

Twelve ministers from key ministries crucial to the country’s development together with two deputy prime ministers are members of the council.

Mr Muthaura questioned how council members from foreign countries could attend the meeting held every quarter of the year while local members failed.

The council has four foreign experts from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.

The development of integrated transport infrastructure, which was part of yesterday’s agenda was dropped due to Mr Mwakwere’s absence.

The meeting which ends Saturday was to also dwell on Kenya’s housing challenge and national agenda for industrialisation in Kenya and the implementation strategy for Vision 2030.

Mr Odinga, who took some time to narrate experiences he learnt from his recent visit to the US, called on the council to help speed up momentum towards the country’s full economic recovery.

“The momentum towards full economic recovery must be restored soon and thus position our country to resume the path of rapid growth,” the PM said.

“The council will no doubt be expected to play a critical role in this, given that its principal mandate is to advise Government on policies aimed at promoting economic growth, social equity, employment creation and at reducing poverty and inequality.”

Mr Odinga said the country needs to triple its power generation by 2012 though geothermal, solar, wind and bio fuel sources, mitigate impact of climate change and restore water towers that had been destroyed by deliberate actions of some people.

“Development of green energy in our country is most important. It will improve energy security by reducing dependency on imported oil, and will lower our energy costs. It will also reduce global emissions and greenhouse gases,” the PM said.

The PM named hunger that has affected 10 million Kenyans, deaths of livestock due to drought and power rationing as some of the problems facing the country.

NESC is supposed to provide a road map to guide Kenya’s development programmes and policies to make the country a middle income, rapidly industrialising one and offer a high quality of life for all its cities in a clean and safe environment.

The council is expected to help the country realise a 10 percent economic growth by 2012.