Coalition scorecard as final year and major elections test beckon

By VITALIS KIMUTAI and

BEAUTTAH OMANGA

The Coalition Government begins its final year in power tomorrow amid growing disaffection on failing to deliver key promises.

Citizens have lauded the passing of a new Constitution in 2010 as a major achievement but shortfalls like resettlement of internally displaced people, which could trigger violence, still remain unresolved.

President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga sign the National Accord in Nairobi in 2008. The Coalition Government has not fulfilled Agenda Four goals like resettlement of IDPs. [PHOTO:FILE/STANDARD]

Recommendations made by various commissions and the panel of Eminent African personalities chaired Dr Kofi Annan have not been attained.

Prof Karuti Kanyinga of the University of Nairobi’s Institute of Development Studies said the Coalition Government has nothing significant to show for police reforms.

"Administrative pitfalls, culture, behaviour and attitude of the police has not been significantly altered," he said, adding that institutional reforms, inequality, land reforms, youth unemployment, national cohesion and fighting impunity and promoting accountability must be addressed."

Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara noted that the coalition managed to survive but at a great cost to the country in terms of corruption and impunity that had been institutionalised.

KEY BILLS

Although the passing the Constitution was a milestone, its implementation has not been rosy with some defective Bills rushed through Parliament. Only last week, the House delayed the passing of Bills critical to land reforms.

The score card of the coalition Government is blotted by the forgotten Kenyans — the IDPs who live in squalid conditions four years after myriad promises to resettle them.

"Resettlement of IDPs which has so far cost Sh14 billion has been one of the major challenges. Some of the IDPs have not been resettled, not because of lack of funds but because of politics. After all, the Ministry of Lands has Sh7 billion for the programme," said Mr Munyori Buku, the spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

On Sunday, Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto said the Government had completely failed to resettle IDPs and it would remain a thorny issue as the country prepares for elections.

"It is very clear the government would not resettle all the IDPs evicted from forests and post-election violence victims despite repeated assurances," Ruto said.

Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi argued the Government was committed to the resettlement and that balloting for 1,600 households was being undertaken.

"More than 50 per cent of the IDPs have been resettled and the biggest challenge has been the politics introduced by a section of leaders," Murugi said on Sunday.

She expressed hope that the exercise would be concluded before the General Election to end the suffering of families.

But on a positive note, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka said coalitions by nature are bogged down by competing interests, suspicion and lack of trust that hampers efficient delivery of services.

GOOD JOB

His view was shared by Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo.

"Coalitions are difficult but Kenya’s has driven reform agenda very well," Mutula said.

Mr George Kegoro, the Executive Director of the International Commission of Jurists-Kenya Chapter, said that post-election violence cases left monumental justice needs.

"The Waki Commission was mandated to apportion legal responsibility for the violence. However, even before the commission released its report, the Cabinet had made a decision to release suspects of various crimes," Kegoro states.

Safina Party leader Paul Muite claimed that President Jomo Kenyatta, former President Daniel Moi and President Kibaki were all rightwing, pro-status quo leaders who could not reform the State.

"They are conservatives concerned mainly with the interests of the few at the top end including capital owners, banks, insurance companies, large land-owners," he said.

He decried high level of corruption in the country, adding there was need to implement the Constitution to spur growth.

"If there is political will to contain high-level corruption, Kenya would have an additional 40 per cent or thereabouts of its budget available for injection into economic growth," Muite said, adding that faithful implementation of the Constitution would create an enabling political, economic and social environment for the exploitation of resources, and especially the human resource.

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi said the next era of Kenyan politics required soberness to achieve the goals of the National Accord.

"Leadership of chest-thumping and retribution we have seen will not take this country anywhere," Mudavadi stated.

Mudavadi, who is the Local Government Minister, said the National Accord goals could only be achieved under a sober leadership that he intended to provide if elected to succeed President Kibaki.

POLLS DEBATE

The coalition government was born out of the National Accord signed between the Party of National Unity and Orange Democratic Movement to end the political crisis triggered by disputed 2007 presidential elections.

The coalition marks its last anniversary should the General Election be held in December this year, but Kenyans are still in the dark over the real date of the first poll under the new Constitution.

An election date has not been picked even as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) prepares to conduct one of the most expensive polls since Independence.

President Kibaki is set to retire within a year after serving two consecutive terms while his fellow principal, Prime Minister Raila Odinga is seeking to succeed him.

Focus is on the two leaders in the sunset days of the coalition as Kibaki will be judged by his legacy while the test for Raila will be if he has the clout to marshal enough support to ascend to the presidency.