I have mentioned from time to time the squabbles between the two leaders of the coalition. If you can call it squabbling when one, the President, is never heard from.
There are huge scandals in the country: the missing funds from the free primary education docket ( I told you about this a few weeks ago) and the importation of maize to relieve famine. Tons of the maize were allocated to private companies (including at least one software company!) mostly owned by friends and families of politicians and civil servants, They sold it on at inflated prices. It is estimated that Kenyans pay about double the world price for this staple food, while thousands go hungry.
Last week the Prime Minister suspended the ministers in charge of Education and Agriculture in whose offices the corruption had taken place. They were to remain out of office for 3 months while investigations were going on because they had both refused to step aside. Both these men are members of the PM's party.The next day the President rescinded the suspension saying the PM has no authority to discipline Cabinet Ministers.
We left for Limuru (near Nairobi) for a meeting today and were prepared to take our traveling bags, plane tickets and passports with us in case we could not return to Kakamega, remembering the riots and road blocks in 2008. However, things are still quiet since the PM returned form a visit to Japan asking to meet the President to iron things out.The President is reported as saying there is absolutely no problem or crisis in the country and he is in no hurry to meet.
We figure that as long as the PM is willing to stay in the coalition things might continue to limp along. If he withdraws he will be setting a match to a pile of dry tinder.
He did apparently send a letter to Kofi Annan asking him to assist, but it seems highly unlikely he will do so.
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