Kibaki, Raila tie reform agenda to a bigger dream

From: Tebiti Oisaboke
Date: Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 1:47 PM

General Kaguoya

With all due respect, I would like to assure you that your HWY V-2030 South, is a fantasy dream sir. You said a whole lot of stuff to implement by 2030 but to my amazement you didn’t mention any plans you may be having on how to elimenate corruption, neportism/tribalism, insecurity and how you are going to creat jobs. How are you going to implement these so called reforms before you even curtail let alone control corruption? There is no country which can succeed socially, politically and economically with corruption peaking almost 200%. Your fantasies will only lead us down south instead of the other direction. And, Raila is absolutely wrong to refer to you as a reformer. What have you reformed so far? Tribalism and corruption, the judiciary, public infrustracture are even worse than the old Nyayo days. You have spent millions and millions of the poor farmers and tax payer’s money on the consistitution commissions and to this day nothing has come out of
those money swindlers commissions. Our healthcare facilities are in a dilapidated conditions worse than those of Zimbabwe or Haiti. One can’t even find the simplest antibiotic (aspirin) in most of these facilities. You recently renewed the contract of the anti-corruption czar again the wishes of the Kenyan people. This fellow was suposed to be Kenya’s watchdog for corrupt folks. But did he deliver his dues? Agwambo should take back words (Reformer) and apologize to Kenyans as a flip of the tongue.
Best wishes with your fantasies!!!
TOI
CLT-NC

Kibaki, Raila tie reform agenda to bigger dream

Updated 2 hr(s) 5 min(s) ago
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President Kibaki and Prime minister Raila Odinga are under pressure to reform Kenya with a new constitution, and on Monday they again gambled big by tying reforms to an even bigger dream.

On the week after Chief Mediator Dr Kofi Annan left with the warning that 2012 elections could be murkier and bloodier than 2007, unless reforms are effected, the Kenyan leadership cast its eyes farther into 2030.

This is the magical year — under the Vision 2030 they are pushing — when Kenya should be, a “globally competitive and prosperous

country with a high quality of life for all Kenyans.” By 2030, if all goes according to the script, crafted by planning experts, Kenya’s economy is expected to, “grow to a GDP per capita of over $3,000 at today’s prices by 2030, which is about six times what it is today.”

But Monday President Kibaki said to reach this doorway, and for Kenyans to walk into a transformed and sunnier country with an annual per capita income of Sh233,000, Kenya must have a new constitution.

“The key flagship project under the political pillar is the delivery of a new constitution. Already, we are making substantial progress in the constitutional review process,” he said, as he moved the Grand Coalition’s bar on reforms by taking in beyond 2012.

Another life

Kibaki once again promised the nation that both dreams, though interdependent, were attainable and within grasp, and it appeared the twin issues of reforms and trial of suspected post-election kingpins belonged to another life if not day. The President cast the picture of a country on course, and different from the one painted by the increasingly critical international community, especially President Barack Obama administration, the 27-member state European Union and Canada.

Obama, Annan and the world think they are slow on reforms but President and PM argue Kenya is on highway to 2030

As Kibaki and Raila threw in their new and even bigger gamble, there was little to show for the increasing pressure and the drawing closer of the country’s date with International Criminal Court in the Hague, in whose radar are believed to be six Cabinet ministers. Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo yesterday delivered the ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s letter to Kibaki and Raila (see separate story).

The only reference to 2007’s ugly spot on Kenyan’s collective psyche, going by the President’s speech, was the fact that economic growth fell from 7.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent the following year.

Speaking at the launch of Vision 2030 Delivery Board at Harambee House, the President conceded: “It must, therefore, be understood that the journey towards Vision 2030 is not easy. It requires sacrifice, hard work and determination. We must endeavour to consistently move up the ladder of the vision targets with the required pace.”

He exhorted Kenyans to, “take this opportunity to make history by being the generation that will fulfil the dream of our founding fathers — the dream of building a prosperous, equitable and stable country.”

He painted a picture of Kenya standing on three strong pillars — social, political and economic reforms — and assured Kenyans the Grand Coalition Government is firmly under his and Raila’s stewardship.

Raila, who also has a raft of assignments to deliver the dream under his belt, listened keenly to the man he, the previous day, described as a “reformer.”

The day was devoid of Annan’s warning last week to Raila and Kibaki that Kenyans were losing confidence in their leadership and that impatience over delivery of reforms was growing by the day.

The political reforms on which the President pinned his vision of a more prosperous and grander Kenya, with a higher quality of life, are anchored on six strategic areas: “the rule of law; electoral and political processes; democracy and public service delivery; transparency and accountability; security as well as peace building and conflict management.”

He outlined the six key areas of development in this area as, “tourism; agriculture; manufacturing; wholesale and retail trade; business process outsourcing and financial services.”

He defined the social pillar as the building of a, “just and cohesive society, which enjoys equitable social development in a clean and secure environment.” He explained: “To achieve this goal, we have to transform eight key social sectors, namely education and training; health; water and sanitation; the environment; housing and urbanisation as well as gender, youth, sports and culture.”

He added: “It must be borne in mind that all the three pillars of the Vision 2030 are anchored on the firm foundations of macroeconomic stability; continuity in governance reforms and enhanced equity and wealth creation opportunities for the poor.”

The Board is chaired by Equity Bank MD James Mwangi.

Reaping benefits

He said transformation of the country’s political system under Vision 2030 is envisaged in the rule of law, electoral and political reforms, entrenched democracy and public service delivery, transparency and accountability, security as well as peace building and conflict management.

Kibaki noted that Kenyans have already started reaping the benefits of the Vision 2030 projects, and as a result the economy is set to improve.

He, however, stressed the need for hard work and determination to transform the country into a newly industrialised state.

“The success of Vision 2030 will depend on our determination and hard work. From our struggle for independence to winning gold medals in sports, it is clear that with determination we can succeed,” he said.
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Subject: Kibaki, Raila tie reform agenda to a bigger dream

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