Coalition could have done better, says Annan

By WAHOME THUKU

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan now says the Grand Coalition Government formed at the height of 2008 chaos has not lived up to his expectations.

Dr Annan regretted the co-operation between the PNU and the ODM had not been closer and more constructive.

“I expected that the coalition would not only have come with the new Constitution, but Parliament would have passed major Bills of benefit to the country,” he told The Standard in an exclusive interview.

Annan, who chairs the African Union’s Panel of Eminent Persons, was in the country on a three-day visit to assess preparations for the March 4, General Election.

The visit coincided with a mad rush by key political figures and their supporters to beat the deadline for signing and handing in of pre-election coalition agreements to the Registrar of Political Parties.

Loud music from speakers at one of the coalition rallies at Uhuru Park vibrated across his suite at Serena Hotel some 300 metres away.

ODM, Wiper Democratic Party and a host of other parties were also signing their pact at the steps of the Kenyatta International Conference Centre just 200 metres from where  the National Accord was signed.