Coming days after the Church's criticism of an "ineffective Prime
Minister" and "moribund President", Raila said there is a transition
period within which certain executive functions are transferred from
the Office of the President to PM's office in line with the power
sharing deal.
But the PM skirted the issue that was on the lips of everyone by
avoiding any direct reference to the sacking of corrupt ministers, even
after prodding by reporters during the 40-minute address at Kenyatta
International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Friday. The only vague
pointer to dismissals was in his response to a question whether heads
would roll in the Police Force, Judiciary and the State Law Office,
three institutions he singled out as obstacles to the war against
corruption.
"It is the weaknesses that are responsible for excesses. We will carry
out institutional reforms and in that process some people may have to
go," Raila said.
Ignored Direct Question
But the PM ignored a direct question on when President Kibaki and him
would crack the whip on ministers and senior Government officials,
implicated in corruption. But he said the war against graft was being
waged discreetly because "not everything that we do can be trumpeted so
loudly." Raila instead said he would defend the Coalition Government
against charges that it is more corrupt than any other, arguing the
scandals rocking it paled in comparison to the Goldenberg and Anglo
Leasing scams.
"There is nothing, whether maize, oil, tourism, selling hotels or
whatever else, that approaches the magnitude of the scandals of
yesteryear, such as Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing," he said.
He, however, said that was not downplaying the scams through which
banks lost Sh7 billion in the Triton oil scandal while national stores
were unscrupulously emptied of grain at a time 10 million Kenyans were
on the brink of starvation.
"I have no time for corruption. Neither has President Kibaki, and we
both intend to continue leading by example," Raila said. Raila strove
to explain the important role his office, created last year following
the February 28 power sharing deal – played in Government and that he
had teeth to bite.
"The PM chairs five of six Cabinet sub-committees, which shows the bulk
of the Cabinet work is under my direction," he said. He added there was
no conflict between his office and the Office of the President because
the two are complementary. Asked about the turf wars between his office
and that of the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, the
PM stamped his authority.
Turf Wars
"I won't speak about the PS in the Office of the President (Head of the
Civil Service Francis Muthaura) because he is a civil servant under the
PM," he replied. Raila dismissed concerns about the bickering in the
Cabinet, saying it was not unusual to have ministers disagreeing
publicly in Grand Coalition Government.
Raila took stock of the achievements of the Coalition Government,
citing the Justice Kriegler Commission, whose recommendations have been
acted upon to disband the Electoral Commission, Justice Phillip Waki
commission on post-election violence, enactment of the Truth Justice
and Reconciliation Commission Act, and oncoming constitutional review.
He noted the launch of the Sh15 billion Kazi kwa Vijana programme meant
to create 300, 000 jobs, and the war against graft, which he said was
being done discreetly as shown by dossiers' compiled by the Kenya
Anti-Corruption Commission, Efficient Monitoring Unit, and the
Inspectorate of State Corporations.
The Standard
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