APRM: Kenya set to implement Programme of Action (POA)

NAIROBI--Kenya is in the process of implementing the Programme Of Action (POA), a step that follows the self assessment as presented in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) report at the June heads of state Summit in Banjul, the Gambia. It is worth noting that Kenya’s report was found wanting in some aspects but president Mwai Kibaki promised to deal with the shortcomings within six months. According to Jerry Okungu, a media and communication specialist at the Nepad Kenya secretariat, the Planning and National Development Ministry—that serves as a focal point for the APRM process in the country—presented a memo to the cabinet, which was duly approved early September.

Okungu said all the permanent secretaries have already been briefed on the modalities of the implementation of the Programme of Action. Consequently, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) is planning a major public sensitization on the contents of the plan, with activities expected to run till December. The implementation of POA is to be undertaken as a collaborative effort between the government, private sector and civil society. The Kenya programme of Action will revolve around four thematic areas—democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio-economic governance—under which the country was peer reviewed. As part of the programme, a one-day national stakeholders’ forum organized by the National Steering Committee, is slated to take place soon. A report will then be presented to the Heads of State and Government Summit to be held at a yet to be identified venue in January.

First mooted during the inaugural African Union (AU) Summit in Durban, South Africa in July 2002,the APRM is a voluntary process in which acceding AU member states are assessed on four key areas, including democracy and political governance, national economic governance, achievement of socio-economic goals and corporate governance. President Mwai Kibaki led Kenya into acceding to the APRM process during the Nepad Heads of State Implementation Committee meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda in February 2003. Out of the 26 countries that have acceded to APRM, Kenya became third after Rwanda and Ghana to accomplish self-assessment.

Meanwhile, feasibility studies are underway for the Nepad infrastructure projects within the region. Various line ministries within the region are already conducting studies whose findings will then be subsequently submitted to the East African Community secretariat. The regional bloc will then shop for investors. But Okungu admits the process of securing funding entails lengthy negotiations among member states, with ministers forming committees that sign protocols. This can sometimes lead to delays in implementation.

Among the infrastructure projects in the pipeline are the dual carriage way from Arusha in Tanzania to Athi River in Kenya, the regional power grid, upgrading of the port of Lamu, the Mombasa-Kigali Road, the Kenya-Sudan Railway, the Lake Victoria waterway and the oil pipeline from Mombasa to Bujumbura. A major meeting on the infrastructure projects is to take place in Nairobi soon.