Kibaki, PM must use Kilaguni retreat to get Kenya on track

Today is the second day of retreat by 12 Cabinet members tasked with bridging the gap between main partners in the Grand Coalition Government and ending wrangles among ministers.

The retreat is symbolic in many ways. It is taking place in exclusivity of Kilaguni Lodge where the Serena Team was finally sold the idea of power sharing as Kenya bled after the bungled elections.

This is where then Chief Mediator and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan took the Serana Team after power sharing negotiations stalled.

It is here where German experts, based on the experience of their country after an election in which no party could rule without the other, sold us the idea of Grand Coalition Government.

It is also here the power-sharing deal between President Kibaki and Prime minister Raila Odinga — who are leading the talks — took shape. Their presence in the meeting, at a time the country is unsure the coalition will hold, and with their own ratings plummeting, is assurance they, too, appreciate they are not leading as they should.

The retreat is also important as it comes against backdrop of serious wrangles between the President’s Party of National Unity and Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement. So intense has been the shadowboxing between the two blocs that the ordinary Kenyan could be forgiven for thinking the country is run by two governments.

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There are also the issues whose conclusion or execution is important and inevitable for the country, but upon which the two leaders appear to dither because of political expediency. Both the President and the PM have assured the country the corrupt, icons of impunity and tribal chieftains in Cabinet and public service would be shown the door. To date, nothing has been done and Kenyans are asking; where is the change they sought and the clean and efficient government they yearned for?

The President is increasingly being perceived as detached and blind to the negative effect of squabbles in the coalition. Without a firm and decisive war on corruption, many under him think they can get away or it is a way of life, and so elbow their way for a place on the honey trough.

There is also the issue of PM’s powers and ODM’s claim the 50-50 power sharing deal exists only on paper. Whereas the PM and the President’s stalwarts are always fast to deny this, few can rule out the fact it further compounds the disillusionment over the Grand Coalition governance and cast doubts about its future. That could be why the National Council of Churches of Kenya called for fresh elections, and is gathering signatures, at least a million, on this.

It is the nation’s hope that the retreat would give the President and PM the political licence to crack on dissent, fight indiscipline and corruption within the coalition, and take on the gods of graft and tribal chiefs who are slowly burning Kenya.

Finally, coming on the week the two snubbed a meeting with Annan in Geneva, the retreat should enable leaders to reflect on the bad memories of Kenya tethering towards the abyss and the effort it took to salvage her. At that time we were told, and which has been proven true, it required more effort than the signing of the deal. There is a lot more left to be done – like reforming institutions of governance and constitutional review. The ticket to push this smoothly and without hitch lies in this meeting.