Some 1,400 respondents were interviewed countrywide between April 19
and April 26 for the Transparency International (Kenya) and the
National Council of Churches of Kenya survey.
Margin of error
Despite disaffection with the current performance of the coalition,
only 15 per cent of the respondents support a government in which the
prime minister exclusively exercises executive power. Similarly, only
32 (per cent) support a government in which the President exclusively
exercises executive power, TI executive director Tom Ogonda said.
Releasing the findings at Nairobi's Hilton Hotel on Thursday, Mr
Ogonda, in the company of NCCK official Lynette Ndolo, said the
majority would like executive powers shared between a president and
prime minister. The officials put the margin of error of the findings,
in which 56 per cent of respondents were from rural areas, at plus or
minus three.
The poll comes at a time the coalition government is rocked by
persistent squabbles between partners ODM and PNU. The wrangles are
over power sharing between President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila
Odinga.
Asked if they expected a new constitution in 12 months as promised by
the government, 78 per cent of respondents did not. Sixty two per cent
cited political interference as the greatest challenge to a new
constitution while others said bickering and tribalism were the main
obstacles.
Mr Ogonda expressed disappointment at new Justice, National Cohesion
and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo's statement on
Monday that he was not aware of vested interests that could block the
new constitution. Mr Kilonzo also said a draft constitution would be in
place in a year.
Mr Ogonda said key personalities involved in graft and the political
class who control public resources were against a new constitution.
The political class might pretend they want a new constitution to get
votes, the TI chief said. Kenyans, he said, should refuse to be
divided on tribal lines and should resort to mass action to push for
the new document.
We must learn from National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende who
showed us that you can make independent decisions and the sun will
still rise tomorrow, Mr Ogonda said. Mrs Ndolo said the fight for a
new constitution is as important as the product itself.
Election violence
The committee of experts must involve everyone, she said, warning
that the situation in the country would be worse than during the 2007
post-election violence if there is no new constitution by 2012. We
expect better political goodwill. If we don't we are going to demand
it, she said.
The poll demystified presumptions that Kenyans would not agree to
devolution of power and regional governments with 60 per cent saying
they supported the system. Mr Ogonda and Mrs Ndolo called on the
coalition government to hasten the pace of governance reforms as spelt
out in Agenda IV of the National Accord and Reconciliations Act.
If the country is to surmount the social economic challenges it faces,
focused and meaningful steps to strengthen governance institutions and
processes must be initiated, Mr Ogonda, said.
Daily Nation
Post published in: Zimbabwe News