Led by President Kibaki in a celebratory dance to welcome the new decade, a milestone on the way to the 2012 General Election, all spoke with optimism about New Kenya in 2010. The message on each tongue was Kenya is burying its dark past and reclaiming its pride among the global family of nations.
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka: ‘This should be a year of hope for all Kenyans. We will achieve a new constitution which has eluded us in the past but only if we all remain united for a good cause for our country’s sake’
But it is also the year Kenyans will confront the spectre of the International Criminal Court as it takes over prosecution of high-profile personalities believed to have fanned post-election violence. It could also be the year Kenya will confront its ugly past through the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation mechanism.
The country will also be fighting to regain its foothold on the global economy, tourism and as well as taking steps to cope with global climate change.
"It is my prayer that 2010 will be a year of great promise, happiness and prosperity for all Kenyans,’’ said Kibaki. He added: "As we are aware, the year just ended was one of the most challenging in recent history...We thank God for enabling us to deal with the various issues that we faced. Indeed, we have fared much better than was expected and emerged an even stronger nation and people."
He enumerated Kenya’s effort to conserve water and turn into irrigated farming in response to drought, adding: "Let us make the year 2010 the Green Year for Kenya."
There appeared to be a rush by the leaders to bury the bad memories of the acrimony witnessed in the fractious and often times unwieldy Grand Coalition — as witnessed in the open warfare and fall-out among ministers last year — as leaders spoke in one accord.
But as Kenyans have known from the experiences of 2009, especially the collapse of Cabinet talks in Kilaguni Lodge and stalemate in Parliament over who should be Leader of Government Business in Parliament between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, it may just painfully be another gush of hot air.
President Kibaki, Raila and Kalonzo led in the roar of optimism in the New Year and exuding of confidence Kenya will undergo a rebirth, as well as the onset of a new constitutional order. There was little mention of the unresolved impasse between Kibaki’s Party of National Unity and Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement over how many centres of power Kenya should have, as well as the powers of the President and PM, which still threatens their promise of a new constitution in a few months.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga: ‘We shouldn’t allow anyone to plunder our sense of brotherhood, to incite Kenyans to slaughter each other like dogs, to rape and torture...and then again hide behind shallow, self-interested excuses’
The nation also appeared eager to run away from the thornier side of 2009, particularly its hard economic times, runaway cost of food and scarcity, hunger and starvation, as well as power outages. This is the year Kenya was once again saddled with unbridled corruption as manifested in the questionable sale of Grand Regency Hotel, the maize and Triton saga, as well as the President’s illegal unilateral reappointment of Justice Aaron Ringera to head the graft body, all of which were viewed as byproducts of official corruption and impunity bearing the seal of power.
But it had its rosier side, which was amplified as curtains rolled on 2009, such as the renewed war on environmental degradation, including war on noise and illegal settlements on main water towers such as Mau Forest, as well as the fact that Kenya today has a draft harmonised constitution and is on the way to enacting it.
Raila’s message though conciliatory also bore the searing heat of bitterness over the wars he has fought in Cabinet. "Whatever happens this year, our Constitution-making efforts must not bow to narrow partisan interests that seek to keep our nation shrouded in the dark age of our continent. Light is beginning to be seen all over, as Africa emerges from a long repressive era of dictatorship. We do not want to risk anything that will take us back to that," he said.
He added: "We should not allow anyone to plunder our sense of brotherhood, to incite our fellows to rise against each other, to slaughter each other like dogs, to rape and torture and maim, and then again to hide behind shallow, self-interested excuses."
He went on: "Wherever these terrible acts have occurred, and whoever was behind them, Kenyans must be allowed to apply to their wounds the healing saliva of justice. The Government has made a commitment to support the ICC process, which the majority of our nation also overwhelmingly believes is the surest way to address this issue."
"Our short-term goals must be the adoption of a new Constitution, getting to grips with the food security situation," said Raila who devoted his message to Kenyan with a defence of Mau Forest evictions.
"This should be a year of hope to all Kenyans. We will achieve a new constitution which has eluded us in the past if but only we all remain united for a good cause for our country," said Kalonzo. "It is my humble plea to all Kenyans as stakeholders in constitution making to speak with one voice and seek consensus ahead of a referendum to avoid dividing citizens of this country."
Kalonzo said the Government would remain committed to carrying out reforms to address impunity in and outside government for the benefit of all Kenyans.
Deputy Prime Minister Musalia: ‘Kenyans, please you should overwhelmingly and confidently vote for a new constitution… 2010 is the year Kenya should get a new constitution. Leaders must ensure that is achieved’
Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi called on Kenyans to register as voters in big numbers ahead of the referendum. He also asked Kenyans to "overwhelmingly and confidently vote for a new constitution" vote for a new constitution, "2010 is the year of Kenya should get a new constitution. Leaders must ensure that is achieved," he said.
Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo said reforms must be achieved by June including those on the police as well as formal appointment of judges to the Constitutional court by the President, resettlement of all IDPs including the Mau victims and immediate appointment of a new anti-graft director by March
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