Kenya parties can draw lessons from Malaysia coalition- VP

Kenyan political parties negotiating pre-election deals have a lot to learn from the Malaysian experience, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has said .

Mr Musyoka said a coalition of 14 parties under the umbrella United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), has led Malaysia through many decades of economic and social transformation and Kenyan parties could draw useful lessons from such a coalition.

"Political parties in Kenya are currently in the process of concluding  pre-election coalitions in preparations for the forthcoming General Election due in March next year," said Mr Musyoka during a meeting with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also UMNO’s President, at the PWTC convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

"We can pick useful lessons from your successful coalition."

The two leaders also attended UMNO’s International forum on conflict conciliations staged to run alongside the ruling party’s 66th national delegate conference.

Broker peace deal

Last month, Malaysia helped broker a peace deal between the Philippines and the rebel movement, Moro Liberation Front (MILF).

The forum was convened to enlighten foreign political parties of Malaysia’s latest national policies on combating corruption, maladministration, total eradication of poverty and achieving unity in diversity.

It also heard Malaysia success story on government transformation programmes on social welfare as well as UMNO’s  management of political and economic programmes.

PM Razak  pledged to mobilise the Malaysian business community to invest in Kenya in the manufacturing, construction, ICT and oil exploration sectors.

“Kenya and East Africa is an emerging market and we are keen to invest there," said the PM. 

Presently, Malaysia imports tea and soda ash from Kenya while Kenya imports electronics, plant machinery and furniture from Malaysia 

Mr Musyoka said Kenya would benefit greatly from increased investments from Malaysia, and urged more visitors to boost the tourism sector.

"At independence, Malaysia was at par with Kenya in terms of economic growth  but today the Asian country has a per capita income of over 9,000 US dollars. Through Vision 2030, we are determined to catch up with Malaysia," the VP told Mr Razak.

The UMNO conference also brought together representatives from 67 political parties worldwide. Mr Razak and his ruling coalition face re-election in April next year.

The VP was accompanied by the Kenya’s High Commissioner to Malaysia  Samori  Okwiya.