Anxiety as team readies to hand over Nadco report

With weeks left before its mandate expires, the committee on the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) report is preparing to hand over its final document.

The report is expected to reveal how much of the ambitious 10-point reform agenda has moved from paper to practice.

Formed between President William Ruto and the Opposition, led by Raila Odinga, after months of political tension and street protests, the team was tasked with stabilising the country and recommending reforms in elections, the economy, governance and constitutional order.

On August 6 last year, UDA and ODM established the team, chaired by Dr Agnes Zani. She says the committee has developed a framework to evaluate the progress made.

“We have engaged stakeholders in and outside the government to assess the progress on the implementation of the Nadco report and the 10-point agenda. They have been very supportive, and they have proposed key inputs and ideas towards full implementation of the Nadco recommendations.”

According to the chair, the team has engaged the Executive, Parliament, the Judiciary, state commissions, NGOs and other stakeholders, including holding county public forums.

On electoral reforms, Zani says the restructuring and reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has been completed. The IEBC (Amendment) Act, 2024, is now in place. It will ensure the commission reviews its operations after every General Election, and compel it to develop internal guidelines “within three months of its reconstitution”.

She adds that Kenyans called for amendments to Article 138 of the Constitution to clarify the role of commissioners in verifying presidential results before declaration by the chairperson, and changes to the Elections Act to streamline the processing and declaration of results.

Parliament will be expected to pick six experts “to evaluate the 2022 electoral process within 21 days of the adoption of the Nadco report”, with the panel mandated to hire a firm or consortium to conduct the review.

On boundaries delimitation, the blueprint directed amendments to Article 89 to allow Parliament to extend review timelines where justifiable, and the enactment of the County Boundaries Bill, 2023, within six months. 

Under the cost-of-living agenda, the report required national and county governments to halve their travel budget, reduce daily subsistence allowances by 30 per cent through the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, and freeze the establishment of new state corporations.

The national government was also to “within three months undertake an audit of the operational and financial efficiency, viability and sustainability of State-owned enterprises” and adopt zero-based budgeting to curb wastage.

Parliament, meanwhile, was directed to fast-track anti-corruption legislation, amend Article 203(2) to guarantee counties at least 20 per cent of nationally raised revenue, and review criminal justice laws to expand non-custodial sentences.

On devolution, the MoU emphasised protecting counties from “any possibility of claw back,” ensuring “timely and predictable disbursement of devolved funds,” and completing the transfer of all devolved functions within six months.

The youth livelihoods agenda calls for “urgent and massive investment in all high-potential sectors of the economy, including mining, blue economy, agriculture and ICT,” alongside nationwide stimulus programmes to create employment.

On governance, the committee urged enforcement of Chapter Six, the protection of the right to peaceful assembly, compensation of victims of protest-related abuses, and measures to “stop the spectre of abductions and extra-judicial killings.”

The national debt agenda demanded a clear reckoning: “Conduct an audit of how much has been borrowed in the past and how it has been used,” and “stop the ballooning of the national debt.”

As the committee prepares to submit its scorecard, the spotlight turns to the Executive, county governments, Parliament, the Judiciary, and independent commissions, all repeatedly listed as duty bearers.

The moment will also be critical for President Ruto and the ODM, coming at a time the Raila party is struggling to hold together after his exit.