Plan for 2012 polls, says Annan

Prepare for a peaceful election next year or lose the gains made since 2008.

That was the message from former UN secretary general Kofi Annan during a forum on the state of the coalition government on Monday.

“Discussions on elections must now move to the level of preparedness. Kenyans must now focus on the legal and technical aspects to ensure that the country has a free, fair and credible election in 2012,” Mr Annan said.

He praised Parliament for passing reform laws and welcomed the establishment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Prime Minister Raila Odinga warned the Constitution alone was not enough to guarantee fair polls.

“Legislation is one thing, and the spirit of the law is another. In the end, it comes down to a matter of conscience. And here, each one of us has a duty. It is upon us to pledge that, no matter what happens in future elections, there will be no violence, no intimidation, and no retribution,” the PM said.

Mr Odinga added: “We must end the public anxiety about the date of next year’s General Election. And we must do our duty and define the electoral boundaries in good time so that the public can identify suitable leaders well in advance of the polls.”

Gichugu MP Martha Karua and Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) boss Charles Nyachae opposed the plan to move elections from August to December 2012.

“We must first give it a good attempt (defining the exact date for the next elections) before we decide to amend the Constitution. Between the elections date and budget, which comes first?” Ms Karua said.

Mr Nyachae accused the Cabinet of playing politics with the Constitution.

“Do we as a country have a commitment to the provision of the Constitution (on the elections date)? If we are not careful, we will go back to the root cause of the new Constitution,” he said.

But Kenya Human Rights Commission head Atsango Chesoni said the elections could be held in December without amending the law.

“The Constitution was drafted with some flexibility so that for the first elections, there are provisions in the Transitional Clauses to vary the date to December. Why should we amend the Constitution when the elections date can be varied? It is surprising because the Cabinet has been provided with this information” she said.

The delegates took stock of the reforms that have been achieved and called for urgency in implementing the Constitution and overhauling the police force.

The meeting, which ends Tuesday, was attended by former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa and former South Africa First Lady Graca Machel, among other local and international leaders.