Ethiopian Journal

By David Ochami and PMPS

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said early campaigns for the 2012 General Election are polarising the country and killing the spirit of reforms.

Speaking from Stockholm, Sweden, the PM said only institutional reforms can guarantee a peaceful election in 2012.

Addressing officials of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, on Friday, Raila also suggested that Kenya should have no more than three political parties to stem divisions. The institute promotes and monitors democracy.

Raila said it is not wise to start political campaigns before enactment of reforms and reconciliation from the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

This comes in the wake of criticism against Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka for seeking political alliance between the Kalenjin, Kikuyu and Kamba communities ahead of the next General Election.

Derail reforms

Early this month Kalonzo said he intends to form an alliance with Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Agriculture Minister William Ruto to propel the PNU coalition to power.

PNU and ODM leaders claim the VP’s crusade is ethnic and could divide Kenyans along tribal lines.

But the VP argues that planning for alliances at this time is, strategically, in order.

Raila said putting the country in an election mood is a sure way of derailing reforms. "We cannot have an election today, then embark on another campaign the next day," he said.

The PM said Kenya will hold the next elections at the same time with the US, yet Americans have not embarked on campaigns and are instead focusing on economic recovery.

At the same time, Raila has warned that Kenya will pay a heavy price if efforts to conserve the environment fail.

The price, he said would run into billions of shillings and loss of lives.

Addressing a panel on the Economic Costs of Climate Change in Kenya at the ongoing European Development Days in Stockholm, the PM said a token of the price was felt in the prolonged drought and crop failures followed by floods and rainstorms.