Parties to agree on the role of Deputy President

By Felix Olick

A committee that is facilitating the handing over process by the President Mwai Kibaki has said that all the presidential candidates and their running mates should agree on the roles of the incoming Deputy President.

The Assumption of the Office of the President Committee recommended that the Deputy President could be assigned the duties currently carried out by Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Chairman of the committee who is also the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia said that an idle Deputy President is likely to be the source of conflict since they would not head any ministry.

“It’s important to note that an idle Deputy President is a risky source of conflict and wasteful utilization of critical resource especially since he/she cannot head a State Department. Perhaps he could be assigned the duties of the Premier. May be!” recommended the Head of Public Service.

The committee insisted that there is need to define the term Consultation among various coalitions in the race to State House to minimise friction if they form the next Government.

Giving the example of the current Coalition Government between Kibaki and Raila, Kimemia noted that the understanding of the term consultation has been ‘quite an issue’.

“They should tell Kenyans whether consultation means consensus or otherwise,” Kimemia insisted.

The committee that brings various Government departments maintained that managing the coalitions will be a critical litmus test for winners in Government and losers in the opposition after the election.

They said that managing Parliament and Senate will be a key preoccupation of the President and his leader of majority.

They however insisted that whichever coalition wins, their priority work will entail unifying and healing the nation.

“Reassuring and refocusing on those that did not vote for victorious coalitions to development and national cohesion and minimise opposition and hard feelings. No areas should be marginalised because of voting either way,” stressed Kimemia.