Kibaki's fury over leakage of secrets

An angry President said the continued leakage of confidential
Government information was casting the coalition in bad taste, apart
from opening it up to opportunistic interference by third parties.

In the recent past, sharp divisions and open rivalry have beset the
Cabinet, with ministers trading brickbats over perceived malpractices
in their ministries.

A case that has been sticking out like a sore thumb has been exchanges
between Justice Minister Martha Karua and Agriculture counterpart
William Ruto, even during Cabinet meetings.

Ms Karua, in her typical sharp tone, told Mr Ruto to take political
responsibility for the maize scandal in his ministry by resigning from
Cabinet.

In the drama sprinkled with heavy 2012 political succession undertones,
whose high point was an unsuccessful censure Motion against Ruto,
revelations of secret night meetings and sensational claims and
counter-claims have left Kenyans asking who between the two is telling
the truth.

Dressdown after poll

Yesterday's dress down of the bickering ministers came hot on the heels
of a Steadman opinion poll in which 70 per cent of Kenyans said the
coalition Government had achieved nothing in its one year in office,
save for ending the post-election violence at the beginning of last
year.

Late last week, the clergy had passed a similar verdict on the
Government, telling the principals, President Kibaki and Prime Minister
Raila Odinga, to their faces that the Coalition Government — which
marks one year since the signing of a power sharing agreement — had
failed Kenyans.

Sources said during yesterday's Cabinet meeting, President Kibaki
blamed bickering ministers for fuelling the public's waning confidence
in the Coalition Government.

Educate public

The principals told ministers to instead educate the public on the
goals and achievements of the coalition, and observe the unwritten code
of collective responsibility.

But the meeting was not without drama.

Sources told The Standard that Karua clashed with her Energy
counterpart, Mr Kiraitu Murungi, who is battling an oil scandal in his
ministry.

Previously, Cabinet deliberations have made their way out by virtue of
ministers commenting on its content at public rallies and gatherings.

Last month, an incident in which the President rebuked Wildlife and
Forestry Minister Noah Wekesa for disrespecting the Prime Minister
leaked out minutes after the end of the Cabinet meeting.

Dr Wekesa had accused the PM of failing in his responsibilities as
coordinator and supervisor of Government functions, especially with the
food shortage crippling the country.

Wekesa later faxed a copy of an apology letter to Raila to newsrooms.

Over the years, secret Cabinet deliberations have found their way into
the public domain, often times causing exasperation at State House.

Sources at yesterday's meeting revealed that differences between Kenya
and Uganda over the boundary in Lake Victoria were also discussed.

Two ministers accused Uganda of constantly breaching international protocols despite inter-ministerial agreements.

Another minister told the Cabinet that agreements reached by ministers were ignored by Uganda just days after signing them.

On the food shortage, the Cabinet directed that maize imports and marketing be liberalised.

Under the new arrangement, the Government would only intervene through
targeted food subsidy schemes covering areas and people most affected
by famine, including school feeding programmes.

Also approved were two youth empowerment programmes, aimed at job
creation and poverty reduction, to cost an estimated Sh23 billion.

They are an emergency youth employment programme under the Kazi Kwa
Vijana scheme, and a medium term Youth Employment programme covering
expansion of intake and training at the National Youth Service to
15,000.

Aggressive expansion

Under this would be an aggressive expansion of youth polytechnics from
50,000 to 150,000 early next year, and a further increase to 300,000 by
2012.

The programmes are to start immediately.

The Cabinet authorised the sale of houses — developed by the National
Housing Corporation — by 33 local authorities, which have problems
financing loan repayments that stand at Sh2.3 billion. The NHC would
re-invest the proceeds in new housing schemes.

The Cabinet meeting also ratified the Kenya-Turkey Trade and Economic
Co-operation Agreement, following a three-day visit by Turkish
President Abdulla Gul.

Already, Turkish Airlines has signed a deal for direct flights between
Istanbul and Nairobi. Turkey also relaxed visa rules for Kenyans.