Principals should honour National Accord provisions

Four years ago, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga signed the National Accord that brought to an end post-election violence. Today, as we look back at journey we have travelled over the past four years, a few reflections are in order. Many challenges notwithstanding, the letter and spirit of the National Accord has prevailed. However, a host of undertakings are unfulfilled, as some institutions created by the accord remain inactive.

Although the accord immediately fixed the political problem – creation of the Grand Coalition Government – it has failed to aptly address the humanitarian crisis. The resettlement of IDPs has been painfully slow. That some Kenyans are still holed up in tents is a major indictment of our leaders – the legislators and the principals.

With regard to constitutional institutional reforms, some mileage has been covered. After efforts stretching beyond two decades, a new Constitution was promulgated in 2010, the Commission on Revenue Allocation has also been established under Article 215 of the Constitution. Similarly, the Judicial Service Commission was set up, the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution established under Section 5 of the sixth schedule of the Constitution and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission set up.

But it has not been rosy at the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission as well as the National Cohesion and Integration Commission. While NCIC has done little to curb hate speech, the TJRC house is still embroiled in court battles, with an embattled chairman who is persisting on resuming office.