Cablegate: Codel Dreier in Kenya: Meeting with Vice President

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UNCLAS NAIROBI 002951

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LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PREL KE
SUBJECT: CODEL DREIER IN KENYA: MEETING WITH VICE PRESIDENT
AWORI

1. (SBU) SUMMARY: CODEL Dreier and Vice President Moody
Awori engaged in a comparative exchange on how business is
conducted in the U.S. and Kenyan legislatures on July 5 in
Nairobi. In his capacity as Leader of Government Business,
Awori informed the visiting delegation of the Kenyan
Parliament's committee system and his own role as the chair
of the House Business Committee. Awori also detailed current
reform initiatives. CODEL Dreier is in Kenya as part of the
U.S. House of Representatives Democracy Assistance Commission
(HDAC) program. END SUMMARY.

COMMITTEE MECHANICS
-------------------
2. (SBU) The Vice President of Kenya wears many hats, Moody
Awori explained to the visiting members of CODEL Dreier. In
addition to being the President's deputy, the VP is also the
Leader of Government Business, for which he is the Chair of
the House Business Committee. In this role, Awori is
responsible for ensuring that the Parliamentary calendar is
respected, determines how best to pursue the government's
agenda in the legislature, and oversees official travel by
MPs. In addition, he must recommend to the House the
membership of committees, both departmental, which are
constituted for the full 5 year term of a Parliament, and the
sessional, which are renewed each year.

3. (SBU) The operation and membership of each of these
committees is guided by specific parameters. Two, the Public
Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Investments Committee
(PIC) must be chaired by opposition members, specifically the
Leader of the Official Opposition and the Chief Opposition
Whip, respectively. As oversight committees, the PIC and the
PAC set their own agendas. Other than his own House Business
Committee, Awori noted that no cabinet member may chair
departmental or sessional committees. They may be led by any
member who is elected by the rest of the committee. Each
party nominates MPs for committee membership. Parties are
given representation on each committee depending on their
numbers in Parliament. Committees also review and amend
proposed legislation relevant to their mandate.

PARLIAMENT LEADING THE WAY ON REFORM
------------------------------------
4. (SBU) Among reforms currently being implemented in
Parliament, Awori noted the newly created House Parliamentary
Service Committee, which looks after the interests of MPs,
and the welfare and training of staff. The Budget Office,
once established, will enable a committee of MPs to provide
input into the budget drafting process. Under the current
system, the budget is prepared by the Ministry of Finance and
only later debated in Parliament. Awori hoped this new
procedure would be in place for next year's budget. Also for
next year, the VP was optimistic that Parliament would be
able to set its own schedule. Currently, the executive
determines when the House meets, and can dissolve Parliament
at his discretion. Achieving this reform, however, would
require a constitutional amendment. Another change under
consideration would remove the requirement for candidates for
president and vice president to be elected as MPs
simultaneously; rather they would run at-large.

5. (SBU) Illustrating the Kibaki government's commitment to
reform, Awori highlighted two significant reforms already
implemented: free primary education, and the Constituency
Development Fund (CDF). The VP noted that as a result of the
free primary education program, an additional 1.7 million
students (not all youngsters necessarily) had enrolled in
school. The CDF, he continued, is "revolutionary," in that
it gives 2.5 percent of each year's budget to each MP's
constituency, the expenditure of which is determined by a
local committee. The innovation here, Awori commented, is
that for the first time, local priorities are being
determined by local residents. Awori also emphasized
Parliament's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS and providing
Anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs to those afflicted. Finally,
because reform is not static, Parliament's standing orders
are reviewed every 7 to 8 years.

EXCHANGE IN ACTION
-------------------
6. (SBU) Representative Dreier emphasized that the purpose

of the Democracy Assistance Commission is, through just such
an interaction, to provide an example of how a different
democratic system operates. For example, he noted, in the
U.S. Congress, all committees fill an oversight role over the
executive. In contrast to Parliament's review of standing
orders every several years, Representative Dreier explained,
the House Rules Committee looks at the rules package at the
end of each year.

7. (U) CODEL Dreier has not cleared this message.
ROWE

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