Photo | PMPS Prime Minister Raila Odinga at his Karen home in Nairobi, where he wished all Kenyans a happy New Year.
Posted Friday, December 31 2010 at 20:49
In Summary
- Prime Minister Raila Odinga looks back at a momentous 2010 and tells of his frustrations and joys. Below are excerpts from a question and answer interview.
What were Kenya’s main achievements in 2010?
The coming of the new Constitution is arguably one of our biggest achievements as a nation since we attained independence. Our other achievement is the very positive economic trends. We end the year with the economy growing in the upwards of five per cent, compared to 2.6 per cent in 2009.
What were your main disappointments in 2010?
I am disappointed at the politicisation and ethnicisation of the process of the International Criminal Court at The Hague. Kenyans are very familiar with the ICC process and how we ended up at The Hague. They followed the debate in Parliament as MPs shouted: “Let’s not be vague, say Hague”.
That time, President Kibaki and I were in the House, pleading for a constitutional amendment to allow us to set up a local tribunal to try suspects of post-election violence.
Some said setting up a local tribunal meant only poor youths were going to be locked up, that the President and I did not care about those youths. So the matter ended up with The Hague.
Now you have seen people trying to politicise and ethnicise the process, claiming it is so and so who is responsible for my name being in there. It is quite disappointing.
What are your hopes for 2011?
That a large section of the new Constitution will be implemented and the benefits start being felt. Implementation of this Constitution is a challenge for Parliament and other institutions charged with it, but I am confident we will do it. Only successful implementation will complete the reform process, including those in the Judiciary, police, public service, gender parity, representation and other areas.
Any fears for 2011?
I fear that negative ethnicity is still deeply rooted in our country and our politics features minimal debate about ideology or policy. Instead, discussions feature personalities and ethnicity. Negative ethnicity is a serious enemy of political progress and must be contained. It is becoming very difficult to even constitute a commission or a taskforce in Kenya.
As soon as you begin toying with names, negative ethnicity sets in, people asking for one of their own. Because of negative ethnicity, we are sacrificing quality at the altar of political expediency.
Negative ethnicity is threatening the war on corruption. As soon as a name is mentioned with regard to corruption, people gang up and say “We are being targeted” or “Our man is being witch-hunted” or “We are being finished”. It is bad, sad and scary. Kenyans must guard against this trend because its potential to destroy our country is real. It makes me fear for Kenya in 2011.
What do you look forward to in 2011?
Despite the fear of negative ethnicity, I look forward to 2011 with a lot of hope, courage and confidence. What gives me confidence and courage is the ability of Kenyans to ignore the noise and rally behind a progressive cause.
Politicians will always talk tough, saying they have rejected this and that. But ultimately, when the matter is taken to the people, Kenyans always rise to the occasion and do the right thing.
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