The Position Of The PM in Kenya....!

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US Help for PM Stuns Supporters of Kenya President Kibaki​

By Peter Clottey

Washington

28 April 2008


Supporters of Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki are reportedly unhappy with the direct support the United States government has extended to Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office. This comes after the U.S. ambassador to Kenya pledged more than $500,000 to sustain the development and smooth running of the prime minister’s office. Ambassador Michael Ranneberger reportedly said the United States government recognizes the critical role a prime minister can play in the coalition government as mandated by the constitution.

But supporters of the President Kibaki describe the United States assistance as an unfortunate gesture, which sends a wrong signal to Kenyans about their government. From the capital, Nairobi, Member of Parliament and Kibaki supporter David Musila tells reporter Peter Clottey that some Kenyans are shocked by the behavior of the US government.

“Obviously, any help that is to be given to the Kenyan government is to be appreciated. But it is rather strange because there is only one government and if any funds are to be given by the U.S. government, they are to be channeled through the treasury. And obviously the U.S. ambassador may be behaving as if there are two governments, one government for the prime minister, and another government,” Musila noted.

He said despite the small US commitment, some Kenyans view the Washington’s support for the new post as underscoring a lack of unity in a coalition government.

“I was taken aback when I heard that announcement. In any case the amount of money that was promised is not a lot of money. It’s roughly 30 million shillings, which is approximately half a million dollars, so that’s not a lot of money,” he said.

Musila reiterated that the U.S erred by directly providing funds for the prime minister’s office rather than channeling it through the treasury, which he claims is the right thing to do.

“It’s indeed funny and as I said it sends a very wrong signal. You know the prime minister does not have any funds that he controls. Funds are controlled centrally by the minister of finance, and therefore, money that is going to be given if it is to be done for the purpose of the prime minister’s office will essentially come through the treasury, and it is the treasury that would accept. So I think the attempt by the US government to try to show like there are two governments in Kenya is not proper. Does the vice president of the U.S. have his own funds and the president his own funds? I mean it’s all not proper and I think wrong signals are being sent to us on these issues,” Musila pointed out.

He denied speculation that President Kibaki wants to stifle the office of the prime minister by refusing to provide funds for the office when Prime Minster Raila Odinga requested funds for his office.

“As you know, the office of the prime minister was created only the other day and the budget for the government was done last year in July. Therefore, there could not have been budget for office of the prime minister. But the most important thing for you to note is that there is no account for the prime minister, and any money must come through the treasury. And there is no ministry that is being funded by directly from overseas and therefore, that kind of suggestion is misplaced,” he said.

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-04-28-voa1.cfm

 

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[media]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OsHJy8K52oc[/media]

 

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Kibaki, Raila Powers Spelt Out in Dossier​

A new structure of the government that spells out the powers and responsibilities of the President and the Prime Minister has been prepared.

The circular, which also outlines the role of Cabinet ministers, shows President Kibaki retaining most of his executive authority, including overall responsibility for the Cabinet, but ceding some of his duties such as chairing Cabinet sub-committee’s to Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Cabinet

The Draft Government structure obtained by the Daily Nation but which has not yet been officially released, puts Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka in a somewhat awkward position by raising the possibility of the President’s principal assistant sitting at Cabinet committee meetings chaired by Mr Odinga.

But this can only happen when Mr Musyoka attends such meetings in his capacity as the Home Affairs minister.

The President’s powers and responsibilities, appearing under the banner of “The Presidency and Cabinet Affairs”, include State affairs and functions, executive authority of government, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Organisation of government business, Cabinet Affairs and Secretariat.

The President is also responsible for all security dockets, appointment of the VP, Prime Minister, deputy prime ministers, ministers and assistant ministers, together with the hiring of judges, ambassadors and high commissioners and is overall responsible to parliament for the performance of the whole government.

Mr Odinga, on the other hand, is responsible for coordination and supervision of the execution of the functions and affairs of the government, including those of ministers, chairing Cabinet committees, public service reforms and performance contracting, efficiency monitoring unit, inspection of State corporations, and any other duties assigned by the President.

He is also responsible for the ministries of State for Public Service and the ministry of State for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030, although the two have substantive ministers.

The move to spell the functions and powers of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, deputy prime ministers and ministers could be seen as a quiet decision by the Government to end the protocol row that emerged last week as the grand coalition government toured the Rift Valley province to hasten the resettlement of people displaced from their homes by the post-election violence.

It also seeks to end the growing sentiments by some ministers that President Kibaki and Mr Odinga share executive authority since they were signatories of the National Accord that brought into existence the grand coalition government.

The Presidential circular, signed by the Head of Public Service, Mr Francis Muthaura, dated April 25, 2008, places Vice-President Musyoka in the second position, ahead of the PM.

The circular that is labelled ‘draft’, further outlines the functions of seven new ministries in the 42-member Cabinet that were created to meet the expectations PNU and ODM leaders following the enactment of the National Accord.

From the onset, Presidential Circular No.1/2008 whose title is ‘Organisation of the Government of the Republic of Kenya’ states: “This circular is issued with the authority of His Excellency the President and it contains appointments and changes made in the Government since the previous circular was issued on 9th August, 2007.”

Responsibilities

It then explains: “ The ministerial portfolio responsibilities remain an internal matter for each ministry to determine within the broad scope of the listed functions, and these responsibilities will be varied as circumstances and needs arise. This circular supersedes all previous Presidential Circulars on the above subject.”

It is copied to all ministers, assistant ministers, permanent secretaries, provincial commissioners, Attorney General, State House Comptroller, Controller and Auditor General, Public Service Commission Secretary, Clerk to the National Assembly, Registrar of the High Court, and Electoral Commission of Kenya chairman.

According to the circular, President Kibaki, who is the Head of State and Government, will preside over Cabinet affairs; State affairs and functions; appoint VP, PM, deputy PMs, ministers, assistant ministers; and chair all organs of security, among other responsibilities.

However, he is accountable to Parliament on the overall performance of his government, it states. It is significant to note that the docket of Cabinet Affairs was hotly contested during the consultations on the naming of the coalition cabinet between President Kibaki and Mr Odinga with the latter insisting that it should be under him. Surprisingly, when the Cabinet was named, it had been dropped from the new ministries that were created.

Under the Office of the President are the ministries of Internal Security, Defence, Special Programmes and State House.

The circular describes Mr Musyoka as the principal assistant to the President and Leader of Government Business in Parliament. Mr Musyoka also heads the ministry of Home Affairs that deals with prisons and remand homes, criminal rehabilitation, and approved schools, among others.

The ministry of National Heritage and Culture, and that of Immigration and Registration of Persons are under the VP’s Office.

The office of the PM, which is housed at the Treasury, is charged with the task of coordinating and supervising the execution of the affairs of the Government including ministries. Mr Odinga will also chair cabinet committees such as those on corruption, preside over Public Service Reforms and Performance Contracting and the dormant agency anti-corruption agency— the Efficiency Monitoring Unit.

The circular also places under Mr Odinga’s charge the Inspectorate of State Corporations and other duties that he will be assigned by the President in line with the National Accord.

The two deputy premiers, Mr Musalia Mudavadi and Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, have the responsibility of deputising Mr Odinga in the coordination of government affairs and will also perform any other functions that the PM will assign them.

Circular

The circular defines the functions of the new ministries of Nairobi Metropolitan Development that was hived from that of Local Government, Fisheries that was split from Livestock and Fisheries, Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands, Industrialisation, Public Works, Forestry and Wildlife, and Medical Services.

Nairobi Metropolitan Development, headed by Mbooni MP Mutula Kilonzo, will be responsible for the development of the Nairobi Metropolis and growth of areas under it, and craft strategy that covers transport system, upgrading of slums, planning and zoning areas, efficient water supply and waste management, investment in infrastructure and making the metropolis globally competitive.

However, the National Urban and Metropolitan Areas Development Board remains under the docket of Local Government headed by Mr Mudavadi.

 

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Thousands turn up to welcome PM in Kisumu​

Published on May 11, 2008, 12:00 am


By Peter Atsiaya And Harold Ayodo


Prime Minister Raila Odinga addressing the crowd that turned up for his thanksgiving ceremony in Kisumu town. But the crowd was not happy when he defended the Grand Coalition Government. Picture by James Keyi

Prime Minister Raila Odinga landed in Kisumu with a spring and the swarming crowds garlanded its favourite son with a memorable, pompous welcome.​

It was an outflow of adoration for the man they have given so many names all of which pay homage to his political prowess. But when he asked them to accept the Grand Coalition, arguing the Orange Democratic Movement had not been handed a raw deal in the power sharing, they gave him a different face. A long one at that, for those who spoke earlier had to take back the President’s name.

A huge crowd turned out to welcome Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Kisumu on Saturday.​

It was Raila’s big day; to them he fought the good fight and is at their hearts. It presented to the nation Raila’s next test, that of solidifying the coalition without losing out on the voting bloc that adulates him so much.

But still Raila, who switched to Dholuo to reach more ears and probably to be more convincing, asked them to forget the past, and grapple with the present and the future.

He said he was out to unite Kenya and asked for support. But the crowd were uncomfortable with his idea of the coalition. "You helped me to spear and kill the antelope to death but someone claimed he is the one who did it … we therefore had to share this animal," Raila told the crowd as it noisily disapproved of certain parts of his speech, particularly the news he would soon be bringing the coalition leaders to Nyanza.

Red carpet reception

His entourage, in which the Party of National Unity wing of the Cabinet was conspicuously missing, said the march to State House was on.

"I shall not get tired, do not get tired, we are only on a short break before the tough battle resumes … I hope you will remain solidly behind us," Water minister Mrs Charity Ngilu said.

Raila told them the coalition was a transitory body, it is temporary, and he is now in a position to push through its campaign promises.

The lakeside city clouded by teargas and scarred by tear-gas fumes only a weeks ago, throbbed with joy as Raila, who too suffered police brutality during post-election violence and the Government’s fight-back, landed on a Kenya Air Force jet. The aura around him was stately; he walked on a red carpet and ecstatically watched on the electrified crowd, as State security officials ringed him.

It was a different Raila, the burly ‘bouncers’ with dark glasses that used to clear the way for him, deep inside the crowds, were not in insight. Instead, because of his recent eye operation, it was Raila who bore detective Kojak’s classes.



Raila said he knew that supporters of ODM were bitter with the outcome of the last General Election, but appealed for patience and calm, saying "Mvumilivu hula mbivu." (Patience pays).

Tension heightened when a section of the crowd shouted down speakers who mentioned names of senior Government officials from PNU. This forced Raila not to mention names of some politicians whom he said had sent greetings to the people of Nyanza.

"I bring you greetings from Mr Musalia Mudavadi, Mr Najib Balala and other colleagues in the Government from Nairobi, who could not make it to this occasion," Raila said.

Agriculture Minister William Ruto and his Public Works colleague Chris Obure had earlier found themselves in trouble when they tried to justify the Coalition Government.

Ruto was forced to eat his words after he mentioned the name of President Kibaki in his speech.

"President Kibaki and Raila are principals in the Coalition Government," Ruto said, before the crowd interjected by shouts of usitaje Kibaki (do not mention Kibaki).

Ruto then changed tact amid cheers, and said," Raila na yule mwingine (Raila and the other person) are leaders of the Coalition Government."

Obure received a similar treatment when he asked the crowd, "How many wanted the leaders to stick to the Coalition Government? It responded with a resounding No!

Cries of hatuwataki (we do not want them) rent the air after Raila announced that he planned to bring members of the Coalition Government to the region as part of reconciliation.

ODM was not shortchanged

Over 45 MPs attended the ceremony at the Moi Stadium, Kisumu. It was a rare occasion as Raila turned into his ecstatic supporters to appreciate the inevitability of certain sections of his speech.

Later Raila’s spokesman, Mr Salim Lone, commented: "Kisumu today provided a fascinating combination of passionate adulation for Raila and at the same time open expression of their dissatisfaction with his policy on coalition government. This is a true democratic spirit.’’

"We were not short-changed … let us not be bitter but forget the past and move ahead as one nation," Raila said.

The crowd of over 30,000 people seemed not to be contented with the explanation.

"I am in a better position to serve you because all the Cabinet ministers and their assistants report to me. You must know that I am an Executive Prime Minister," Raila said, amid cheers.

He went on, "I co-ordinate and supervise all the ministries and you should bank on me for the change that you voted for."

When a section of the crowd continued to mumble over the power sharing deal, Raila sought to explain in Dholuo. "Joka nyanam okwa dhi marach ahinya ewach ni (People of the Lake, we have not faired badly in this matter)." That is when he gave the analogy of the antelope and himself as the hunter.

He said ODM benefited from the power sharing deal, adding party MPs were allocated strategic ministries and counted one after another.

Lands Minister James Orengo echoed Raila’s sentiments saying, "We in ODM have majority and authority in Parliament … we should not be underrated."

The crowd at one time complained of perpetual harassment by police before Raila said Ndhiwa MP Orwa Ojode would address their grievances.

"Ojode is the assistant minister of Internal Security and will deal with complaints you have raised about the police," Raila said. But Ojode was not at the function as he had travelled to Mt Elgon on official duty.

Raila said he wanted to prove to the world that grand coalition governments could work in countries hit by a leadership stalemate after elections.

There was also a mass disapproval from the crowd when a visiting Tanzanian Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Mr John Magufuli mentioned the Ugandan Government in his speech.

"Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will remain united to bring economic development in East Africa," Magufuli said, amid shouts of "hatutaki kusikia Uganda." (We do not want to hear Uganda).

Magufuli caused laughter when he retreated, saying: "Kenya, Tanzania and the other country you do not want me to mention would foster unity in East Africa."

Residents of Kisumu widely believe that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is not in good books with Raila following allegations that its soldiers helped to quell post- election protests that left hundreds of people killed and maimed in the lakeside town.

At the same time, ODM sent the strongest signal ever that they had begun serious preparation for the General Election in 2012. Ministers Ngilu (Water), Orengo (Lands), Mr Henry Kosgey (Industry), Mr Otieno Kajwang’ (Immigration) and Ruto said ODM had not abandoned the presidential dream.

Trade Assistant Minister Mr Omingo Magara said: "Watch this space … we are going to do great things as people from western Kenya because we will remain united."

Speakers – including Raila – paid tribute to the youth whose massive protests forced President Kibaki to negotiate with ODM.

"We thank you because you were our weapons when the PNU were adamant on our demands after the disputed poll results. You blocked all roads and forced them to heed our call," Ruto said.

Ruto called for the unconditional release of hundreds of youth arrested by police over the post-election violence.

He also spoke about selective justice in the handling of post-election violence suspects.

 

[Steve Dii]

.... ha ha ha, jokes za Magufuli bana...duuh..

eti "Magufuli caused laughter when he retreated, saying: "Kenya, Tanzania and the other country you do not want me to mention would foster unity in East Africa."

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

.... ha ha ha, jokes za Magufuli bana...duuh..

eti "Magufuli caused laughter when he retreated, saying: "Kenya, Tanzania and the other country you do not want me to mention would foster unity in East Africa."

Mwenyewe nilishangaa kuona he attended Raila's homecoming ndani ya Kisumu.Hio Uganda sijui kaionea ugumu kuitaja sio? Kazi ipo!!!!

 

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That ODM will front Raila as Presidential candidate in 2012, is a
foregone conclusion.Sasa kambi ya ubavu wa pili needs to start styling up....

ODM to back Raila in the next election ​

Published on May 13, 2008, 12:00 am


By John Oywa

The 2012 General Election campaign is already taking shape, with ODM saying it will present Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the presidency.

ODM leaders said on Sunday that they were prepared even if elections were to be called before the five years.

Party chairman, Mr Henry Kosgey, who said Raila was still their choice for the presidency, was backed by 11 other Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi.

"Raila’s long journey must end at State House," Kosgey said.

"We voted for change in the December election, but our votes were stolen. We have now formed a Coalition Government, but this is just a brief stopover. We will have to complete the journey."

The ministers were speaking at the Bondo Teachers Training College during Raila’s homecoming party at the weekend.

Mudavadi said the party’s Pentagon and all other senior officials had resolved to support Raila until the party achieved its leadership objectives.

"We shall stand by him to the very last moment," said Mudavadi.

Planning Minister, Mr Wycliffe Oparanya, said: "Raila has just delivered half a loaf. We must support him to get bigger things so that he can bring a full loaf."

Immigration minister, Mr Otieno Kajwang’, said he would not abandon his Bado Mapambano campaign until Raila got to State House in 2012.

Public Service Minister, Mr Dalmas Otieno, said ODM had begun the journey and must see it to its logical conclusion.

Public Works minister Chris Obure, Mr described Raila as "a perfect product".

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

.... ha ha ha, jokes za Magufuli bana...duuh..

eti "Magufuli caused laughter when he retreated, saying: "Kenya, Tanzania and the other country you do not want me to mention would foster unity in East Africa."

Cheki video... http://uk.youtube.com/user/NTVKenya?ob=1