PM says Cabinet will not be trimmed until 2012

By John NjirainiThe bloated Cabinet will not be trimmed until after the General Election, Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said.
The PM said calls by the civil society for the Cabinet to be reduced from current 40 to 20 and replaced with technocrats would not happen because the National Accord safeguards the life of the current Cabinet, which is part of the Constitution.
"In this transition period, we cannot de-link ministers from being politicians because the current Cabinet is entrenched in the Constitution until after elections," said Raila.
The PM, who was speaking at a conference organised by the Economist, said Kenya is going through a critical transition and future prosperity is tied to the successful implementation of the new Constitution.
New Constitution
He said although the passing of the new Constitution marked a new beginning, a clique of non-reformers is hell-bent on sabotaging the aspirations of the majority.
"The Constitution has changed the mood of the nation for the better, much as the elite may want to subvert it. We have entered the era of accountability, predictability, and responsibility," said the PM.
Speakers at the one-day conference, whose theme was ‘Steaming Ahead with Reforms’, asked the Government to ensure Kenya remains stable as the country gears for General Election, due in 18 months.