African Union Panel of Eminent African Pesonalities – Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation
The Dialogue Team of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation (KNDR) held its fourth review meeting today on the status of implementation of the KNDR agreements for the period July through September 2009.
The meeting was chaired by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Chair of the AU Panel of Eminent African Personalities.
The meeting welcomed Hon. Beth Mugo, Minister for Public Health and Sanitation, as the new member of the Dialogue Team, replacing Hon. Martha Karua.
The meeting discussed the findings of a report prepared by South Consulting – the research firm designated by the Panel of Eminent African Personalities to undertake independent monitoring and evaluation of the implementation process. The review report covers the four Agenda Items of the KNDR process, the final goal of which is to achieve sustainable peace, stability and justice in Kenya through the rule of law and respect for human rights.
On Agenda Item One, the report found that, although post-election violence had ended, new forms of crime had arisen in different parts of the country, and threats against certain communities perceived as “outsiders” persisted.
On Agenda Item Two, the report’s findings showed that the closure of camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) had not ended displacement, with some IDPs failing to move back to their farms because of fear of attacks, while others had insufficient resources to rebuild
their lives.
On Agenda Item Three, the report found that the improved relations between the two principals, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga, was a positive development, but it had not translated into improved relations between their different constituencies.
On Agenda Item Four, the findings of the report showed progress in laying the foundation for reforms, with the constitutional review process on schedule, and institutional reforms underway within the police force and the Judiciary. However, the report noted that these reforms needed to be accompanied by fundamental policy changes.
The report concluded that, while progress had been made, the window for reforms was closing – and closing fast. Succession politics and electoral political conflicts would soon rise, and attention would move away from the reforms. The Coalition Government, therefore, needed to expedite the reforms, but this would only be possible if the parties consulted regularly and worked to develop consensus on important issues.
The Dialogue Team undertook to address the outstanding issues and work to expedite the reforms before the window of opportunity closes.
The South report will be made available to the public as soon as possible.
