President Kibaki and PM Raila Odinga are guided in signing the National Accord that put in place the Grand Coalition Government on February 28, 2008 by the AG Amos Wako (left) and James Orengo (right) at a ceremony witnessed by chief mediator Kofi Annan (standing, centre) and Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete (standing left) among others. FILE
What you need to know:
The Grand Coalition is one of the most quarrelsome governments Kenya has seen in its 50-year independence history.
It miserably failed to deal some of Kenya’s most outstanding challenges such as grand corruption, tribalism and rampant insecurity.
When Uhuru Kenyatta takes the oath of office as the fourth President of the Republic of Kenya Tuesday afternoon, the curtain will fall on one of the most inconvenient realities Kenya has had to live with in the past five years — the Grand Coalition Government.
The coalition, which came into place in April 2008 following the negotiated settlement of the disputed outcome of the December 2007 election, is one of the most quarrelsome governments Kenya has seen in its 50-year independence history.
A product of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, which created the position of Prime Minister and two Deputies, the coalition government of President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga managed to deliver on many fronts.
It executed a near revolution in areas such as constitutional reforms, infrastructure development, judicial reforms and reviving an economy that nearly collapsed during the political turmoil preceding its formation.
But it is likely to be remembered more for the disharmony with which it conducted the business of governing. The coalition miserably failed to deal some of Kenya’s most outstanding challenges such as grand corruption, tribalism and rampant insecurity.
The list of scandals included the irregular sale of Nairobi’s Grand Regency Hotel to a Libyan firm that cost the then Finance minister Amos Kimunya his job and the loss of free primary education funds on the watch of former Education minister Sam Ongeri.
Outgoing Trade minister Moses Wetang’ula was suspended as Foreign Affairs minister and later had his name cleared over the Sh1.1 billion sale of Kenya’s Embassy in Tokyo.
Mr Odinga’s wing of the coalition was not spared the smear of corruption. As Agriculture minister, Deputy President-elect William Ruto was suspended over the scandal involving the questionable sale of subsidised maize at the height of a famine.
Outgoing Medical Services minister Anyang Nyong’o survived the sack over the alleged allocation of the Sh4.3 billion National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) funds to non-existent private medical service providers.
Indicted by ICC
Ministers Uhuru Kenyatta and Henry Kosgey resigned after they were indicted of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) but Mr Kosgey was later reinstated to the Industrialisation docket after charges against him were dropped.
Besides the scandals, the Grand Coalition Government also came with a huge financial burden to the taxpayer – with its bloated 42-member Cabinet appointing cronies to key civil service and parastatal positions.
Perhaps the signature tune of the bickering that characterised the Kibaki-Raila coalition was in the differences that emerged in the appointment of people to serve as Chief Justice, Attorney-General, Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Controller of Budget following the coming into force of the new Constitution.
Mr Odinga rejected President Kibaki’s appointment of Justice Alnasir Visram as Chief Justice, Prof Githu Muigai (Attorney-General), Kioko Kilokumi (DPP) and William Kirwa (Controller of Budget) arguing that he was not consulted in line with the provisions of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act.
In rejecting the appointments in January 2011, Mr Odinga further argued that the President had not involved the Judicial Service Commission in the search for the new team.
The list was eventually thrown out. Prof Muigai survived a fresh recruitment process that saw Willy Mutunga become Chief Justice, Keriako Tobiko DPP and Agnes Odhiambo Controller of Budget.
Similar battles were fought over the reappointment of the Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission Aaron Ringera, leading to his ouster in 2011 and the appointment of Patrick Lumumba as his successor.
Supremacy contest
Mr Kibaki’s unilateral appointment of county commissioners, who are currently entangled in a supremacy contest with governors, also generated disagreement after Mr Odinga dismissed the move as unconstitutional. The commissioners stayed put even after the High Court declared their appointments illegal.
The Internal Security ministry hurriedly crafted and got the National Government Coordination Act, 2013 enacted, handing the provincial administration a lifeline.
The National Accord and Reconciliation Act came into force on March, 20, 2008, giving effect to the Agreement on the Principles of Partnership of the Coalition Government.
Half of the 42 ministers and 52 assistants relinquished their portfolios two weeks ago after they were sworn in as MPs, senators or governors following the March 4 General election.
Mr Odinga insisted that the ministers stay in office until the new president is sworn in and a new Cabinet appointed.
The differences continued last week after Mr Odinga entered the governors’ battle with county commissioners telling the elected leaders to resist any attempts to undermine devolution.
