Nairobi — The ongoing Cabinet ministers' retreat must turn out to be more than just an opportunity to frolic in a coastal holiday resort at public expense.

The retreat will be worthwhile if we begin to see a united and focused government pulling in one clear direction.

Managing a coalition that is closer to a shotgun marriage than anything else was never going to be easy. Things are complicated by the fact that the key partners still look at each other with suspicion.

It does not help that some are diverting their attentions from what must be done here and now to create stable, peaceful and prosperous democracy, and prematurely focusing on individual ambitions for the 2012 elections.

It is apparent, also, that an unacceptable level of indiscipline has been allowed to take root in Cabinet. Important government programmes have failed due to sabotage by groupings within, rebellions that often have nothing to do with observing party positions.

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga have managed to progressively cast aside suspicion and distrust to work in harmony.

Now they must lay down the law, and make it clear that any ministers in their respective arms of the coalition not willing to follow the government line will have to go. That must be the Mombasa Declaration.