The Vice president officially launches the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, 2011/2020 in Kenya

A scene of accident

11/05/11

The Vice President Mr. Kalonzo Musyoka has today officially opened the country’s charter for United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, 2011/2020 at the KICC.

The launch which was done globally by UN members is aimed at coordinating road safety at county level to avert the 1.3 million lives translating to 2% of GDP loss globally.

“With this launch Kenya will unveil a ten year programme of activities though our national road safety council” Mr. Kalonzo said at the event which was attended by His Royal Highness, Prince Michael of Kent who is the global patron.

The launch comes with the government’s effort at rehabilitating existing and new roads, and with the recent matatu self regulation through registering SACCOs to ease the carnage

Mr. Kalonzo observed that road safety is fundamental for Kenya in realizing the vision 2030 by reducing economic and psychological loss attributed to over 3,000 lost nationally.

“I now call on the National Road Safety Council to tune their programs with this global plan to reduce road carnage which is the 5th leading cause of death to citizens” He said adding that motorists should ensure they have triangle hazard signs, first aid kits and fire extinguishers as stipulated in the traffic rules.

Kalonzo thanked the support offered through the global patron Hid Highness Prince Michael of Kent, World Bank, World Health Organization amongst others in making the Kenyan roads safe

The road minister Amos Kimunya and the Permanent Secretary Silas Njiru who is also the chairman of National Road Safety council attended the function.

Manuel Odeny

Kibaki, Raila should hold the spirit brought by JSC public interviews

The Judicial Service Commission team

The ongoing public interview by the Judicial Service Commission, JSC at Anniversary Towers to pick from 18 candidates the next chief Justice, CJ is a welcome to the much needed reforms in the country. After picking the candidates from May 3-May about six candidates would be forwarded to the President and Prime Minister for consoltation.
This is very important in the following way.

First the move came after the country was polarized when President Mwai Kibaki hand picked three candidates unconstitutionally. Least Kenyans forget, the ODM party backed with civil society rallied and successfully made Kibaki to revoke the appointments.

The way the applicants have to answer on their CV will surely go ahead to give Kenya the best CJ since independence showing the mistake of hand picking buried with the new constitution.

The effect of the move is still felt in the country especially in the parliament where the coalition partners are wrangling for supremacy in the house committees.

Secondly, it brings the hope on the mess that has been the judiciary system. The judiciary has been accused of pending backloads, corruptions, poor judgments against Kenyans and political involvement.

The 2007/08 PEV offered the best example to this. To begin the ODM completely refused to go to court to contest the flawed elections asserting the poor performance. Additionally, the lack of any suspect of PEV brought to justice by Kenyan courts deepens the dearth of this important institution.

Least we forget the rot in the judiciary, which still persists with bad acquittals, was named in Waki and Alston inquiries as the caused of violence with claimed lives of about 1,500 Kenyans with others still homeless.

Through done during the weekday I have tried the best I can to catch the glimpse of the process off my office work.

Honestly, the best pleasure I get is when the applicants sweat in public to answer on their rulings,

“Ahmednasir (A commissioner) has been stressing that we have been poodles of government” I smiled at Judge Riaga Omollo exasperation after the interview when he was told to acknowledge why the former president Daniel Arap Moi used to win election petitions while he was in bench.

Since talking about court ruling is contempt this live broadcast is a refreshing emotional channel to Kenyans with unanswered questions over the ruling.

What is done by the JSC is commendable and should be replicated in other major appointments in the country. Let us just hope it was be later derailed by politicians. Kibaki and Raila should hold to the spirit brought by this inquiry when finally picking a candidate and never take us back to their coalition squabbles.