Okecth,

Nobody denies that the accord was signed publicly and even passed hastily in parliament. Unfortunately, the accord, now an Act of Parliament, is very dilute and vague on the exact and definite role and rank of the Prime Minister. If you doubt me, then get and read a copy of the Act. When you do, you will realize that it did not repeal anything of the existing constitution. Words and statements like “equal share” and “coordinate and supervise” are as superfluously vague as vague can be. Thus the tussles as to whether power sharing starts and ends at the appointment of the cabinet, or does it extend to the appointment of senior civil service officers, ambassadors, heads of parastatals, etc. Then the simmering issue of rank: Does the VP rank higher than the PM?

The big problem that I see is that when people who have been fervent supporters of Raila Odinga, not even necessarily ODM, read Prime Minister appended to Raila Odinga, they get all excited and imagine that title means a lot of power and high rank without looking in detail what the accord actually says. Were Prime Minister appended to any other name, those same people would be jumping about at seeing what really that position represents.

My honest opinion is that parliament should take up its responsibility and clarify the vague issues brought about by the hasty passing of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, 2008. Minus that, the accord is subject to a continuation of the varying interpretations and unnecessary wars over what is what, which is which and who is who that have witnessed ever since it was passed.

Thanks.

Michoma Moenga

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Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:17:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michoma Moenga
Subject: Re: Demystifying the Pecking Order

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Kenyans,

why can`t we all start now behaving as educated and mature adults. WE DO HAVE IN KENYA NOW A COALITION GOVERNMENT NOT THE USUAL ONE WE HAD FOR ALMOST 45 YEARS. There is a big difference between what is called COALITION GOVERNMENT and just the usual government where the winner takes it all. SO , SO LONG AS WE STILL HAVE THIS WORD CALLED COALITION GOVERNMENT THEN BY THE LAW OF COALITION SIMPLY MEANS THE TWO WHO AGREED TO FORM THAT COALITION GOVERNMENT ARE EQUAL PARTNERS until that coalition ends. I do not know which law school or constitution people like Martha Karua went to or learned, but it looks they are missing something called coalition government. The only person who got it properly is Charles Njonjo and the USA ambassador. Who is now trying to strengthen the prime ministers office, I do think the USA ambassador has realized that even Top Kenyan officials even highly educated ones are missing something here and being e gentle man he does not want to use words like, stupid, ignorant, monkey business etc. So as a diplomat he goes through diplomatic channels. Another thing Kenyans must know is this, since coalition governments are not forever neither are they permanent you can not change the whole constitution of a country just for the period of that coalition, so foxes always sloughing about the constitution speaks this and that are completely missing the point and the USA ambassador does not want to be a teacher in Africa. His government did not send him to teach Africans for heavenly sake. In simple terms the ambassador even went a head to tell our Kenyan MPs that in real politics you can not be in the opposition if your party is in the government. The ambassador really wonders what politics some of our Mps read or interested in, since some do not know upto today that being in a party which has formed the government means you are apart of that government unless you step out of that party. If we Africans do not know these things, and even our MPs who are politicians do not know this, then WHERE ARE WE HEADING TO FELLOW KENYANS?.

We should think hard and make a good journey through our minds to think who we are and what makes us we Africans different from whites, is it only the black skin or something else is also missing?. In this coalition government Raila and Kibaki have 50%-50% share and Kalonzo is an assistant to Kibaki who can only be Raila`s equal if he Kibaki is on holiday or sick.

Paul Nyandoto.

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Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:39:39 +0300
From: Paul Nyandoto
Subject: Re: Demystifying the Pecking Order

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Paul

I think people like Martha Karua are just taking us in circles. What we are witnessing now is about PNU internal wars about who takes over from Mzee Kibaki. Nothing at all to do with Raila and his position.

Dick Aduonga

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Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:30:33 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
From: “dick.aduonga@ . . .
Subject: Re: Demystifying the Pecking Order