9 December 2011
interview
After the final press briefing closing the third Kenya National Dialogue Review conference on Tuesday, the host–former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan who mediated an end to the bloody conflict after the disputed 2007 presidential elections–retreated to a smaller meeting room at Nairobi’s Crowne Plaza hotel where he granted an exclusive interview to the Daily Nation’s MACHARIA GAITHO and BERNARD NAMUNANE. Excerpts:
This is the third Dialogue Kenya conference starting with Geneva and the other two in Nairobi. Are you satisfied that the conferences are achieving anything substantial beyond being mere talking shops?
I see a lot of progress. Quite a lot has been achieved, but there’s still a long way to go. The positive thing is that Kenyans are conscious of the issues and know what needs to be done to build a stable and cohesive country. This has come out clearly during the deliberations here.
There’s even a sense of impatience and that’s a good sign that Kenyans know what they want to achieve. The discussions show a better understanding of what needs to be done, and the fact that people can come together for franks and open discussions is very healthy. There’s been marked progress of issues such as the new constitution, and reform of institutions and the laws. I also sense a greater degree of tolerance.
Political alliances in Kenya have shifted markedly since you started the mediating a conflict that involving two clear protagonists, PNU and ODM. The teams that negotiated the coalition government and were mandated to oversee the continuing reform process were drawn from the two sides, but many have changed sides or moved elsewhere. Do the committees still exist, and if so do they have useful functions?
They still exist, though not as committees but as individuals who are still in key positions. [Justice minister] Mutula Kilonzo, [Lands minister] James Orengo and [Deputy Prime Minister] Musalia Mudavadi were all deeply involved in the negotiation and even at this conference have been present, and they understand the major rationale behind formation of the grand coalition government.
All three have continued to be major players in continuing dialogue, as has been [Gichugu MP] Martha Karua, even after she quit the government. The important thing is that when the two sides come together, they have the numbers to pass legislation and to drive reforms for a better future,.
Aside from conferences like this you have engaged extensively in private and public with the two coalition principals, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga. What sense do you get today of each individuals commitment to the reform?
The Prime Minister participated in the conference; while the President wasn’t here but was represented. Both of them understand the importance of the process, not just to creation of a stable and peaceful Kenya both also to their own legacies, which are bound by how they work to reform institutions and the political system. It is true that there have been difficulties, but when the two of them work in tandem to we see a great deal of progress.
The difficulties are not limited to the Principals, but sometimes to their troops. It’s obvious that they don’t always carry their respective parliamentarians along with them, and that often holds back progress. But the two of them have each been committed to moving forward.
But any changes you have noticed–in body language, attitude, actions–between 2008 and now in how the two Principals approach the reform program?
If there are no contentious issues, they work well together. It’s when there are issues, such as on appointments to public office, that it sometimes becomes difficult. I see in them leaders who are proud of their country and want to see progress.
Whatever the outcome of the issue on election dates, it will be a maximum of 13 months to the next polls. Are there any specific areas the mediation team will be out to offer help in relation to the elections?
There are areas that one can help if they are identified. Discussions over the past two days have been very useful in pointing out some gaps. We are happy that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has been established with a chairman [Ahmed Isaac Hassan] who has already demonstrated his ability over the referendum and a series of by-elections.
I hope he and his team are given all the support they need to organise credible elections. It’s important, however, that the issue of the election date can be settled early so that the electoral commission can get down to work .
The deliberation also presented what might be a very rosy picture in reference to the risk of violence come the elections. Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and Permanent Secretary Francis Kimemia expressed confidence that there would be no violence. We heard that the police force was being beefed up to cope with any eventuality; but we heard very little that was convincing on healing and reconciliation at the local level.
I have had the opportunity to meet with the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, and can see they are doing their best; with programmes across the country. They still need support to carry through programmes aimed at sensitising the people on the need to respect and live in harmony with neighbours.
On the police aspect, true, it’s not a question of security forces alone, but at elections one still needs a police that is trained and prepared for the task. So we need both aspects — healing and reconciliation involving communities and individual Kenyans; and also training and preparing the police to handle any eventualities while observing and respecting human rights, and also on preventing violence before it breaks out.
We are getting to an election year. List the top three priorities in the reform agenda that you think must be concluded before the polls.
My list of three: Preparation, Preparation. Preparation. A lot of preparatory work must go into organising credible elections. A lot of preparatory work must go into devolutions, preparing the mechanisms and structures for the new post-election dispensation.
After elections Kenyans will wake up to a transfer of power to devolved government, and it will be important to prepare and educate the people on the roles of Governors, County Assemblies, Senate, National Assembly and so on.
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