The Nation (Nairobi)
Lucas Barasa
9 July 2009
Nairobi — Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said Kenya is keen on hosting next year's World Economic Forum.
Mr Odinga revealed this during a breakfast meeting attended by ministers, permanent secretaries, parastatal chiefs and private sector to discuss Kenya's bid to host the Forum.
He said it was important for Kenya to host the WEF saying it will help stimulate the economy and for networking with other countries. "It is a land mark opportunity we cannot let go," he said and expressed the government's commitment to facilitate the forum.
Kenya is competing with Ghana and Tanzania to host the forum that was held in South Africa this year.
Technical team
A technical team will be in the country next week to evaluate Kenya's ability to host the forum. Mr Odinga said a taskforce had been created in his office to see how green energy could be developed to reduce costs.
During the breakfast, he was tasked by private sector players to explain government efforts to address the increased cost of doing business in Kenya. Private sector players cited energy, poor infrastructure and red-tape as some of the concerns that are hurting businesses. They also want corruption that has spoilt the image of the country ended.
Chaired by the PM, the committee consists of representatives from concerned ministries and experts from the energy sector. Kenya, he said, wants to produce 2000 megawatts of green energy by 2012 and that he had talked to the German President and a British minister who both assured him that the target could be realised.
Mr Odinga said the country had huge potential for production of solar, wind, geothermal, bio fuels and cited Turkana, Marsabit and Lamu as suitable areas. He said high costs of energy made it difficult for Kenya to compete with countries like South Africa and Egypt. "We are determined to bring down the high costs of energy," Mr Odinga said.
Mr Odinga's statement follows recent rise of fuel prices in the country. The PM said the government had approved a paper on by-passes, adding that many things were also being done to improve infrastructure. A standard gauge railway line will be built from Mombasa to Kampala, he said. The government was further investing heavily in water development.
The Sh15 billion Kazi Kwa Vijana initiative, he said, was doing well and that it was part of the government's efforts to stimulate the economy, which has been adversely affected by the post-election violence, drought and global recession.
On governance, Mr Odinga said the government was giving priority to reforms so as to be more transparent and responsive to needs of the country.
Reforms
Saying a taskforce had been established to advice the government on police reforms, he said, apart from being expanded the unit has never been reformed since independence. The reforms, he said, will help create a fully national force with recruitment and promotions being done on a transparent manner.
"The reforms will also deal with corruption in police," he said. The PM added that reforms will also be conducted in the Judiciary and that a Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission has been established to deal with Kenya's past. He said the boundaries commission will look into administrative and electoral boundaries.
The Independent Review Electoral Commission will help correct anomalies in the system. On corruption, Mr Odinga said Kenyans have to change their attitude and stop offering bribes. "We must educate the public service....the private sector must also reform. It takes two to tangle," he said.
He told leaders to stop comparing Kenya with failed states like Somalia, adding that if the reforms are conducted will be able to run and catch-up with countries like Malaysia, South Korea and India. "Kenya wants to be compared with the best in the world," he said. Businessman Chris Kirubi said Kenya can only address poverty by creating wealth.
He said the government should further create an authority to be in-charge of conferences to avoid the sector being handled by mediocre organisations. Mr Kirubi also faulted the government for reverting Cocacola Stadium to Nyayo.
Eveready East Africa managing director Steve Smith said the government must take bold steps to address concerns raised by the private sector including on infrastructure and bureaucracy.
Kenya Private Sector Alliance chairman Patrick Obath said his organisation members were committed to supporting the forum. "It is an opportunity to demonstrate to the world the change that is taking place here.....we need to set big goals," he said. On corruption, he said, the private and public sector have to hold each other accountable.
Trade minister Amos Kimunya said the country must rethink how to develop business opportunities and move the country forward. He said Kenya was being considered as the fourth pillar of the continent after South Africa in the south, Nigeria (west) and Egypt (north), but its image eroded by the post-election violence. The country, he said, must build its image and attract investments by hosting the forum.
Kenya, he added, will also be holding the African Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa) conference from August 4 to August 6.
Mr Kimunya said Kenya, which hosts UN headquarters at Gigiri, must be aggressive to be visible in world.
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