Key people to watch in 2009

Recent polls have shown that Kenyans expect a new Constitution to be delivered this year, prices of basic commodities to come down, leaders to exercise greater political responsibility and internally displaced people to be resettled.

Other issues that rank highly in the public agenda are improved security, heightened fight against corruption and justice for suspects behind the post-election violence.

In their New Year messages, President Kibaki and Mr Odinga appeared to resonate with the public when they identified a new constitution, national healing and reconciliation, electoral reforms, high prices of basic commodities and fuel, justice, equality and land reforms as the challenges facing the country.

After bidding bye to a year that saw the fabric of the Kenya nation come under the severest test, it is expected that the two leaders who have the onerous task of steering the country back to stability and economic prosperity, will step forward and guide the public towards the desired goals.

The expected setting up of a special tribunal to try post-election violence suspects; confessions from the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission on past misdeeds; the review process and reduction of prices of food and fuel will test the political will of the President and the PM.

At the end of the year, the two principals will either receive accolades from Kenyans for the successful accomplishment of the goals or face criticism for failing to meet their goals.

This is because it has always been argued that the reason behind the failure to meet those challenges is the lack of political will by the Government.

The President and the PM will, however, not be alone. They will depend heavily on the decisions of Cabinet ministers Karua, Ruto, Murungi, Attorney General Wako, Speaker Marende, and MP Abdikadir, among other key officials.

Ms Karua, the Justice minister, has the daunting task of presiding over the implementation of the reforms that were outlined in the National Accord, among them a new constitution.

Her ministry will determine the pace of the review process; it has already worked on the time-table for the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Kenya; and implementation of reports of commissions that were set up after the post-election violence.

Mr Ruto, the Agriculture minister, will be the man to ensure that food prices are affordable to Kenyans. The decisions he and his team at Kilimo House make this year in terms of investment in food production, farm input prices, credit facilities, food storage and distribution will either make the Government the pride of its citizens or erode it credibility.

Kenyans will be looking up to Mr Murungi, the Energy minister, to address the issue of high fuel and electricity prices that gripped the country last year.

He has already promised to enforce price controls in the oil industry starting this month to contain consumer exploitation.

Indeed the high fuel prices was one of the issues that President Kibaki promised to tackle this year in his address to the nation on New Year’s eve.

All the legislations for key reforms will take place in Parliament and Speaker Marende will have the onerous task of making rulings that will pave the way for the changes.