Kenya urges world support over Constitution

Kenya has urged the international community to assist the country in the crucial phase of implementing the new Constitution.

Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula said the process would be staggered across a five year period “for the reforms to be undertaken and overhaul the current system of government, to a more democratic system".

He said Kenya’s partners should assist in drafting of various enabling legislations.

The minister spoke during a discussion at the Council of Foreign Relations headquarters in New York, presided over by former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

The question and answer discussion centred on Kenya’s promulgation of the new Constitution and how it will impact on the country's foreign policy and security in the horn of Africa.

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The enactment of the new Constitution, said the minister, will make available more resources to programmes directly affecting the youth, who constitute 70 percent of population and also to the women, who will benefit from the mainstreaming of gender issues in the countries bill of rights on gender equity and women’s economic rights.

On security challenges in the region, the minister said Kenya bore the brunt of instability in the horn of Africa due to the inflow of refugees from Somalia and Sudan, and therefore the country had taken a more proactive approach to ensure that peace prevails.

He said Kenya was happy with the recent political developments in Sudan after President Kibaki held talks with President Bashir of Sudan in Nairobi on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Under the peace deal arrived in Kenya in 2005, former foes Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement\Army and Khartoum’s National Congress Party agreed to hold the an independence referendum on January 9.

Mr Wetang'ula said talks were meant to address few remaining issues “which if delayed could derail peace and security in the Sudan".

He named the issues as the demarcation of the north-south border and the power sharing and governance issues .

The minister said Kenya supports the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and called on the US government to focus more attention on the country and support the African Union’s peace enforcement efforts rather than peace keeping.

The minister said Somalia’s situation had degenerated due to neglect by the international community and called on the UN  Security Council to focus more attention on Somali issues.

The minister also invited American investors to venture in the expanded east African market as it offered conducive opportunities.

The minister was flanked by Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi and ambassadors Monica Juma and Josephine Ojiambo.