Muchemi Wachira
10 May 2008
Nairobi — Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Friday dressed down Transport Minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere accusing his ministry of being inefficient.
He apparently surprised Mr Mwakwere during the official opening of the two-day induction seminar for Ministers, their assistants and permanent secretaries at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies.
Mr Odinga was commenting on delays in off loading goods from ships at the Port of Mombasa when he said.
Same job
"I am saying this in the presence of the minister (Transport minister) who is here," he said
Mr Odinga said while it takes only 48 hours to off-load a container from a ship in Dubai, it is takes 14 days to do the same job at the Port of Mombasa.
He told Mr Mwakwere to go to Dubai and see how work is done there so that he can be able to improve services at the Port of Mombasa.
The PM reminded the minister that such delays have been hurting the economies of neighbouring countries, which rely on the Port of Mombasa.
They include Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Apart from delays in off-loading goods, Mr Odinga told Mr Mwakwere that he does not understand why it takes more than 10 days for a truck to transport goods from the Port to the Busia border point.
"There are several police roadblocks and weigh bridges and all these are other toll stations," he told the minister.
Mr Odinga expressed concern at the problems the lorries undergo after being cleared at the Port saying this should change.
The PM at the same time outlined the constitutional mandate of his office and said his top priority is to achieve improved service delivery to the public.
The PM's office, he explained, is mandated to "co-ordinate and supervise the execution of the functions of the Government of Kenya".
While executing his duties, Mr Odinga said, he intends to follow a three-pronged approach.
He will have an annual programme setting out not more than three service delivery objectives, targets and deadlines for each Ministry, which will be cascaded down to underlying departments and parastatals as appropriate.
In the second approach, the PM said, there will be a simple information system for monitoring and supervising progress on the ground while implementing remedial measures against challenges as they emerge.
Finally, Mr Odinga told ministers and their assistants that there will be a revitalised and comprehensive system of Cabinet committees with revamped corporate procedures and processes.
Tools of change
With these tools of change, supported by functional and modern structures of his office and his two deputies, Mr Odinga said the ministries of Public Service and Planning, National Development and Vision 2030, will be crucial to achieving rapid results in improving service delivery to the public.
He also took issue with the Attorney-General's office and the Judiciary for delays in concluding court cases.
Mr Odinga also said he will focus on provision of health services to Kenyans, issuance of identity cards and passports, birth certificates, title deeds, driver's licenses as well as business licences and permits.
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