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DE RUEHNR #1500/01 1711022
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P 191022Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6142
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 6010
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 2071
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0115
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2844
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 5296

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 
 
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Summary 
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¶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. 
 
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Comment 
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¶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