parties supersede the national agenda. The national agenda has become a pawn in the political chessboard for the 2012
nominees from each coalition party and is co-chaired by the President and the Prime Minister. The committee is supposed to mitigate conflicts within the coalition
the youth; consolidating national cohesion and unity, and addressing transparency, accountability and impunity. We have made tremendous
addressing all the long-term issues in Agenda 4 progressed with the referendum on a new constitution held on 4 August. A new constitution will be the basis for radical inroads in tackling poverty, inequality and regional imbalances and unemployment, especially youth unemployment. Hence, the proposed new constitution heralds a new era in the governance architecture of the country. The proposed constitution establishes a framework for improving governance and will hopefully mobilize energies towards a better Kenya by healing divisions that almost destroyed Kenya as a nation-state during the post-election crisis.
It will be a new window to undertake more far-reaching changes in public sector institutions, open up political space for broad participation, militate against inequity through equitable resource allocation and spur the growth of the economy for wealth creation as a result.
Conclusion Lack of coherence within the coalition government remains a sticking point due to the lack of a clear mechanism for resolving disputes as well as the absence of a framework to guide the partners on how to operate within the coalition.
contestation. Most times, acceptance or rejection of any public policy issue in Parliament seems to be driven by the political mileage it can accrue to the politician, rather than the good it would bring to the country. Such opportunistic ventures only deepen divisions and levels of mistrust within a coalition. To address the challenges of cohesion, consultations and consensus, the coalition established the Permanent Committee on the Management of Affairs of the Coalition. The committee comprises six
government. However, not much has been achieved using the committee.
Agenda 4 reforms The National Accord outlines several issues under Agenda 4 that caused the crisis in Kenya, which if left unaddressed could lead to destabilization again. These are: undertaking constitutional, legal and
institutional reforms; land reforms; tackling poverty, inequality and combating regional development imbalances; dealing with unemployment, especially among
Mr Mudavadi (front left) with Prime Minister Rt Hon. Raila Odinga (second left), President H.E. Hon. Mwai Kibaki (second right) and Vice-President Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka, (front right).
progress despite the reality of suspicion and conflict, subterfuge and sabotage. Interim independent electoral institutions are in place; several independent commissions mandated to institutionalise good governance are up and working. The constitutional reform process that is central to
In the absence of structured
mechanisms for consultations, partisan interests may increasingly continue to undermine decision- making within the coalition and prevent promotion of the greater interests of the country.
As a framework for the reform agenda, there is palpable optimism that the unity of purpose displayed by the Coalition Principals in support of a new constitutional dispensation will transcend into the post-referendum period and see to it that the transition and envisaged reforms take root and are actual, safe and sound.
The Parliamentarian | 2010: Issue Three - Kenya | 13