COALITION GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES VISION 2030 MEDIUM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 001500 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/E E.O.12958: N /A TAGS: PGOV KDEM KE SUBJECT: COALITION GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES VISION 2030 MEDIUM TERM PLAN REF: A. NAIROBI 1452 ¶B. 07 NAIROBI 1981 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. On June 10, President Kibaki, Prime Minister Odinga, and Vice President Musyoka launched the Medium Term Plan (2008-2012) of Vision 2030, Kenya's ambitious development blueprint outlining economic, political, and social reforms and goals. Although it was drafted well before the post- election political crisis, the Medium Term Plan's political pillar coincides well with the new Coalition Government's reform agenda, as it is supposed to make Kenya's democratic system "issue-based, people-centered, result-oriented and accountable to the public." Kibaki and Odinga projected a sense of cooperation and unity, complimenting one another and sharing the stage at the Kenyatta International Conference Center; but the magnitude of the task ahead of them is mighty indeed. End Summary. -------------- Kenya's Leaders Appear Together to Launch Joint Strategy Document, Spur Development -------------- ¶2. After weeks of rumors regarding the release of a harmonized policy document to help focus the Government on the way forward, the leaders of Kenya's three main political parties appeared together on June 10 to launch the Medium Term Plan (2008-2012) of "Vision 2030," an ambitious development blueprint outlining economic, political, and social reforms and goals (ref B). ¶3. The Kibaki government published the original version of Vision 2030 in 2006. The Medium Term Plan represents a harmonization of the policies of the three main parties in the Grand Coalition government (President Kibaki's Party of National Unity, Prime Minister Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement, and Vice President Musyoka's Orange Democratic Movement - Kenya). The economic platforms of the three presidential candidates were very similar, so harmonizing them into a single document was not difficult. The process was important, however, as the earlier version of Vision 2030 did not have the buy-in of the Orange Democratic Movement. The current version is more robust and represents the shared view of the Coalition Government. ¶4. Speaking on the eve of by-elections in five parliamentary constituencies (ref A),President Kibaki used the podium to once again urge Kenyans to unite and put the post-election crisis behind them, and assured the audience that Kenya would complete the healing process and move on to become a great and prosperous nation. Prime Minister Raila noted, "Each and every one of us should see ourselves as the agent of change that we Kenyans have been yearning for." -------------- The Political Pillar: Strengthening Kenya's Democratic System -------------- ¶5. Vision 2030 is based on three pillars: economic, social, and political. While the Medium Term Plan's Political Pillar aims to transform Kenya's national governance system in order to enact the development goals outlined in Vision 2030, it coincides well with the new Coalition Government's reform agenda. The aim of the Political Pillar is to make Kenya's democratic system "issue-based, people-centered, result-oriented and accountable to the public," and flagship projects include a constitutional initiative (the completion of the national Constitution); a judicial and legal reforms initiative (reforms pertaining to the rule of law); a security and policing reform initiative; the establishment of a non-partisan professional research center to enrich Parliamentary law-making; and the initiation of a national program on attitudinal and value change. ¶6. As with many Government plans, the Political Pillar is ambitious and not sufficiently backed by funding (septel). However, some of the goals are already squarely on the NAIROBI 00001500 002 OF 002 government agenda (including the introduction of laws governing political parties and electoral reform). And unlike some of the initiatives outlined in the economic and social pillars, the most critical ingredient to achieving political reform is political will, not funding. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. The launching of the Vision 2030 was a celebratory occasion, and overall leaders of the Coalition Government demonstrated a sense of unity. Only a week ago at the Independence (Madaraka) Day celebration, the guards of President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila publicly fought; at this event the guards sat side by side. Kibaki praised Raila for championing reconciliation efforts and helping Kenya return to peace. The event was not without episodes of partisan rhetoric, however, as Kibaki reiterated that those who committed murder during the post- election violence would face the full force of the law. (Note: Odinga has made multiple public calls for amnesty for alleged perpetrators, many of whom are supporters of his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). End Note.) ¶8. The Medium Term Plan will become the central GOK strategy against which the Kenya Joint Assistance Strategy (KJAS) and donor coordination efforts will be pegged. As such, this is a very significant document and occasion. ¶9. Skeptics claim that the Vision 2030 may not be feasible or sustainable, as several previous poverty reduction and economic recovery proposals have not met their goals. On the other hand, the shared economic goals should allay the worries of economists who had concerns about the Orange Democratic Movement's populist/socialist leanings. ¶10. The new office to watch for Vision 2030 implementation will be the Vision Delivery Secretariat, which is supposed to provide strategic direction for the implementation of the Vision's ambitious goals. Their task will be overwhelming. End Comment. SLUTZ