Broad based government can achieve tremendous progress if well managed

The President has formed a broad-based government, which will be like a team of rivals which was a cabinet formed by the 16^th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The accounts of this exceptional phenomenon which has dominated political discourses for a long time has been penned down by the presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin classic about the political genius of Abraham Lincoln, his unlikely presidency, and his cabinet of former political foes. This cabinet achieved tremendous progress for the US, including abolition of the most enduring evil against humanity – the slave trade, beginning with the 1863 declaration.  

It comes after the handshake and the grand coalition government of 2008-2013 that produced some of the most consequential reforms and path to more reforms through the establishment of the Kenya vision 2030 development blueprint for long term planning socio-economic development of the country, the enactment of the constitution of 2010 and introduction of devolution which has changed many aspects of governance, participation and development across the country. First, the broad-based government must now build from here by first, enacting the long-term planning and visioning into law such that it becomes our defining feature throughout our development process. It can establish a Kenya Vision 2050/2063 or as deemed necessary by the stakeholders to be in charge of long-term planning and major infrastructural and socio-economic projects. Major transformative sectors like education, water, irrigation and sanitation, agriculture, mining, manufacturing/industrialization, infrastructure, energy and technology among others should be under long term planning so as to attain a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of above 10 percent per annum hence sustained growth, productivity, employment and job creation.

Secondly, there must be harmonized development planning aligned to the long-term planning that transcends generations; aligns projects with available financing and capacities, and creating room for changes when local and international conditions change. Thirdly, sector plans from various ministries should be harmonized and inbuilt into the national long term development planning. Such a move will ensure that we only pursue projects that are relevant, timely and whose availability of necessary funds and capacities has been discussed thoroughly and agreed upon to reduce unnecessary debts. Fourthly, the long-term planning should synchronize national and county planning and projects rollout so as to ensure maximum use and benefits of the available funds going forward and reduce instances of rushing out programmes and projects.  Such harmonized plans should inform investors and development partners on the key areas and counties to invest their money hence detailed communication and dissemination of investor information. Dr Giti is an urban management, public – private partnerships (PPP) and environment specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com , @danielgiti