Opposition chief Raila Odinga has assembled a transition
team of eight technocrats and close associates to oversee government handover
if he wins the presidency on Tuesday.
The transition management team has been meeting to identify
priority areas if the former Prime Minister is victorious in the closely
contested election.
Yesterday multiple sources told the Star Raila plans to
introduce drastic measures to rationalise, align and restructure government
ministries and departments and reduce public expenditure by eliminating
duplication.
Part of the team will join top government officials,
formally known as the Assumption of the Office of the President Committee, to
spearhead the handover of power.
Naming the transition team signals that Raila is confident
about vanquishing President Uhuru Kenyatta and denying him a second term.
Opinion polls indicate a dead heat that might, for the first
time in Kenya history, require a run-off.
The transition team represents nominees of all five NASA
principals. hey are experts in the Constitution and legal affairs, economics,
governance, security, politics and public policy.
It will be headed by law don Dr Mutakha Kangu, ex-chairman
of the now-defunct Task Force on Devolved Government.
Other members are economist Dr David Ndii, East Africa
Legislative Assembly member Abubakar Zein and lawyer Paul Mwangi.
Raila's running mate, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, is
represented by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu
represents Ford Kenya boss Moses Wetang'ula.
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, the CCM party boss, is
represented by his party chairman Isiolo Deputy Governor Mohammed Guleid.
The transition team will develop the NASA Cabinet
portfolios, among other tasks.
On Wednesday Raila told Reuters in Suswa, Narok, that
Jubilee cannot win next week's General Election without rigging the result.
"There is no other way Jubilee can win election, other
than through rigging and they know it. That is why they are making all the
efforts," he said as he left a rally in Suswa town.
"I'm very confident we are going to get a very, very
decisive victory," he said.
Because of the closeness of the election, the bitterness and
sporadic violence, many Kenyans are jittery, fearing a repeat of the 2007
polls. At that time Raila alleged rigging and called for demonstrations after
tallying was abruptly stopped Kibaki declared the winner.
More than 1,200 people were killed and 650,000 people
displaced in a campaign of orchestrated ethnic violence that followed.
Kenyatta and William Ruto, now the DP, were charged at the
International Criminal Court in the Hague with crimes against humanity. The
cases collapsed and the prosecution says there was witness tampering.
The head of Raila's presidential campaign, Musalia Mudavadi,
said they were confident of victory.
"Option one is we are winning and we shall win. Option
two is we cannot lose," Mudavadi told a rally in Kisumu.
According to law, the President-elect is entitled to
round-the-clock security ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. This could be
within days after an outright first-round victory or by the end of August in
case of a Supreme Court challenge.
The 22-member Assumption of the the Office of President Committee
is mandated to facilitate the handing over and organise for the security of the
President-elect.
The same committee is also required to publish in the
Gazette, the date and place of the swearing-in. The day is a public holiday.
According to the Assumption of the Office of the President
Act, the President-elect should nominate three people to join other 19
officials, mostly top officials of the outgoing administration.
It is not clear whether the Raila-Kalonzo transition team
will also act as public watchmen and watchdogs during the transition.
Government assets, including coffers, have been looted
during some transitions.
During the 2013 period, for instance, Auditor General Edward
Ouko flagged suspicious transfer of billions of shillings into and out of the
government’s secret security accounts.
The Public Accounts Committee recommended that ex-Interior
PS Mutea Iringo and other accounting officers be investigated. They presided
over irregular withdrawal of large sums from ministry's accounts at the Central
Bank of Kenya.
Iringo was fired over the scandal that MPs said amounted to
Sh2.8 billion.
Economist Ndii, EALA member Mutakha Kangu and lawyer Mwangi
are close Raila associates involved in his presidential campaign.
Their appointment was a clear indication they would be at
the helm in a new administration.
For a smooth handover, the Assumption of Office Act provides
for the Committee to be chaired by the Secretary to the Cabinet, in this case
Joseph Kinyua.
Other members are KDF chief Gen Samson Mwathethe, NIS
director general Philip Kameru, National Police Service IG Joseph Boinett and
Attorney General Githu Muigai.
Others are the National Assembly Clerk Michael Sialai,
Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi and Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye.
Treasury PS Kamau Thugge, Foreign Affairs' Monica Juma as
well as ICT's Principal Secretary Victor Kyalo should also be part of the
critical committee.
However, most key members of the Assumption of the Office
Committee are among prominent individuals Raila has accused of planning to rig
the polls for Uhuru.
The law requires, however, that all public officers involved
must work with the President-elect.
For instance, a public officer from whom information is
requested must provide the information within a reasonable time.
A public officer who fails to comply with the Act commits an
offence and if convicted is liable to a fine of Sh1 million, a two-year prison
term or both.
However, the committee will only be constituted if the
incumbent is defeated.
If Kenyatta is reelected, there will be no need for a
committee.
According to the Constitution, the President-elect will be
sworn in 14 days after results are declared.
This is only if results are not contested in the Supreme
Court.
If they are disputed, the swearing in will be postponed
until the verdict. CS David Maraga says petitions will be heard in two weeks.
During the inauguration, the outgoing President hands over
to the President a sword and the 2010 Constitution as instruments of power and
authority.
